Bulls news: Is Alex Caruso playing vs. Pistons

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has been on the shelf since December 20th, but will he be playing vs the Pistons on Tuesday?

The red-hot Chicago Bulls begin a three-game homestand on Tuesday night as they host the lowly Detroit Pistons at the United Center. However, Billy Donovan's squad has been missing a key figure of their rotation since December 20th in Alex Caruso. The former Laker was dealing with a foot injury then entered health and safety protocols. That being said, is Alex Caruso playing vs Pistons?

Is Alex Caruso playing vs Pistons?

The short answer is no, the Bulls guard won't be able to suit up quite yet. Per K.C. Johnson, Caruso is still in COVID-19 protocols but he's nearing a return:

As of now, Bulls list Alex Caruso as out vs. Pistons and still in health and safety protocols. Donovan said yesterday that Caruso is getting closer to return.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 10, 2022

While the 27-year-old has proven to be a massive piece for Chicago, especially defensively, he's struggled to stay healthy this season, featuring in just 26 games. Earlier in the campaign, Caruso missed time with a hamstring injury then he sprained his foot in December against the Rockets and had to exit early. The Bulls haven't exactly been hurting without him though, going 9-1 in their last 10 games and just won nine in a row before they were beaten by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

Caruso is putting up impressive numbers with his new squad, averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 boards, and four assists in 28 minutes per night. He's also notched two steals a game and led the NBA in that category for a period of time.

It sounds like it won't be long until Caruso is back in the mix for the Bulls. He would've likely been on the court again by the turn of the year if he didn't enter the league's health and safety protocols, but that just feels like Chicago's luck in 2021/22. Remember, they dealt with a full-blown outbreak not long ago and even had to postpone games because of it.

Caruso's next chance to return will be on Wednesday in a showdown with the Brooklyn Nets, who currently sit two games behind the first-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference.