The Bulls Must Be Smart with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis the Rest of the Way

Contrary to popular belief, things can still get worse for the Chicago Bulls.

During the second half of Tuesday night's meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Bulls watched Josh Giddey hobble to the sideline. Moments later, after rising youngster Matas Buzelis checked into the game, he would land awkwardly on the foot of Kenrich Williams and call for a sub. Buzelis proceeded to limp straightback to the locker room.

To be clear, both players would return to the bench, and Giddey would even attempt to sub back into the game. But Billy Donovan quickly shared with reporters after the 116-108 loss that both suffered an ankle sprain. The head coach would not comment on their status for Thursday night's game in Phoenix, saying that he would know more on Wednesday morning.

Fast forward roughly 20 hours, and both players have been listed as questionable on the latest injury report. All things considered, that certainly feels like positive news, but it doesn't necessarily remove the fear that the Bulls could make a similar and frustrating mistake.

Bulls Need to Get Their Priorities Straight ...

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Mar 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The fact that Josh Giddey even checked back into the game on Tuesday night was a red flag. Not only were the Bulls down 14 with just over 10 minutes to go, but in what world was this a must-win game? The organization already decided its destiny at the February 5 trade deadline, swapping out seven roster members to snowball things into an 11-game losing streak.

In other words, in no way does playing a banged-up player at this point in the season make any sense at all. And this is particularly true if that banged-up player is considered one of the franchise's "core pieces." As Arturas Karnisovas has said himself, both Giddey and Matas Buzelis fall under that category.

No one would deny that both Giddey and Buzelis want to be on the floor. But the Bulls are supposed to make the tough decisions and save these players from themselves. With so little to play for the rest of the way, protecting Giddey and Buzelis should be at the top of the to-do list.

Does this mean I wholeheartedly believe the Bulls aren't trying to look out for them by listing them as questionable? Of course not. The designation suggests that the sprains were not as bad as originally feared, and that's an overwhelming positive. However, many other teams in Chicago's shoes would likely use this as an easy excuse to give their most important players some rest. Why aren't the Bulls?

Heck, this team has seen in recent months how injuries can linger and worsen. They dealt with it when Coby White was in town, and they have most recently seen Jalen Smith move in and out of the lineup due to a lingering calf injury. Giddey himself even tried to return from a hamstring strain earlier this year before having to sit out additional games. An ankle may not be a soft tissue injury, but it's still something that can be made a whole lot worse with another tweak or hard landing.

No one expects the coaching staff or the players to throw in the towel. I can accept that, and I wouldn't ask them to. But this is why some level of organizational synergy is important. If the front office does view Giddey and Buzelis as fundamental building blocks and does not have postseason intentions, they need to act out of an abundance of caution. Playing both Giddey and Buzelis every night the rest of the way simply isn't necessary, and these latest ankle sprains should remind them of that.

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