It’s a legitimate question whether or not the Chicago Bulls will be able to dress the required eight players when they host the Pistons on Tuesday night.
The Bulls’ Zach LaVine and Troy Brown Jr. went into the league’s health and safety protocols Sunday, NBC Sports Chicago confirmed. That makes nine Chicago in the protocols because DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, Javonte Green, Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson were already there.
Throw in Patrick Williams being out injured and it is conceivable the Bulls will not have enough players cleared to suit up Tuesday night. By then, White and Green will be beyond the 10 days required by the protocols and could return if they have produced negative tests and can pass a cardiac test (White is back in the team facilities as of Sunday), but their status is unknown.
The Bulls have 9 eligible players as of now:
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 12, 2021
Vucevic
Ball
Caruso
Bradley
A. Johnson
Dotson
Cook
Simonovic
McKinnie
They will continue receiving hardship exceptions unless White, Green return for Tuesday’s game.
The Bulls also can sign players on a hardship waiver to play until their numbers are back up.
COVID has hit the league hard in recent weeks — the Hornets had five players in protocols, and both the Raptors and Pacers canceled practices — but no game has been postponed.
Yet.
