Chicago Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen did not take contact in practice due to a sore oblique, but he is expected to play against the New York Knicks on Monday night, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
The 2019-20 campaign has not been kind to Markkanen thus far.
Through 10 games this season, Markkanen is averaging 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal over 30.5 minutes per game while shooting just 38.5 percent from the floor, 27.9 percent from three-point range and 80.9 percent from the free-throw line.
The 22-year-old, who played his collegiate basketball at the University of Arizona, was originally selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft but was immediately traded to the Bulls as part of a deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves.
Markkanen had a terrific rookie year, playing in 68 games and registering 15.2 points and 7.5 boards across 29.7 minutes a night while making 43.4 percent of his field-goal attempts, 36.2 percent of his long-distance tries and 84.3 percent of his foul shots.
He was then limited to just 52 contests last season, largely due to a heart issue that sidelined him in the latter stages of the year. During the time he did play, Markkanen recorded 18.7 points and nine rebounds through 32.3 minutes per game, connecting on 43 percent of his shots, 36.1 percent of his triples and 87.2 percent of his free throws.
It's obviously still very early, but based on Markkanen's output over his first couple of years, Chicago expected more production than what the Finland native has given it over the first couple of weeks.
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