Bulls’ Thaddeus Young misses preseason opener with left leg infection

The Chicago Bulls got their doors blown off in the preseason opener against John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and the Houston Rockets, losing 125-104.

Adding to the rough night, Chicago was without Thaddeus Young, who sat with a lower left leg infection, something announced by coach Billy Donovan pregame, reports KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

"[Young] was dealing with a little bit of a lower leg infection that really was not too terrible to be honest with you, and then today in shootaround he kind of came in and it was bothering him,” Donovan said. “But he said he was fine, that he went through shootaround... They wanted to take him to the doctor and took him to the doctor and they advised with the lower leg infection that he sit out tonight and not play.”

More tests are coming for Young and there is no timetable for his return.

Young is in his second season with the Bulls after signing a three-year, $43.6 million contract (the third season of that deal is only $6 million guaranteed). Last season he averaged 10.3 points a game coming off the bench, but this is a different Bulls team under Donovan.

Young is expected to come off the bench in Chicago, behind starting forwards Otto Porter and Lauri Markkanen. With Young out for the game, it meant more preseason run for rookie Patrick Williams, who had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in his 25 minutes.