The Bulls will be without Wendell Carter Jr. for Las Vegas Summer League - and possibly longer - as he prepares to undergo surgery to repair a core muscle injury, the team announced Wednesday morning.
The press release did not indicate how or when Carter suffered the injury but it's an obvious setback for the 20-year-old, who missed the final 38 games of his rookie season after requiring thumb surgery.
Carter is expected to be ready for training camp in September. The rookie was off to a promising start, averaging 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through 44 games when he landed awkwardly on his thumb in a January game against the Lakers. Initial reports suggested that Carter had dodged a bullet and wouldn't require surgery, and he was listed as day-to-day.
But a second opinion revealed that Carter's best option to avoid lingering effects on the thumb was to have surgery.
He was given an 8-to-12-week timetable for his recovery but never returned.
Carter would have had a significant role on the Bulls' Summer League squad and would have picked up valuable time working with rookie point guard Coby White.
The Bulls drafted Arkansas center Daniel Gafford last month and on Tuesday agreed to a two-year deal with former Knicks center Luke Kornet.