The Chicago Bulls currently have 10 players in health and safety protocols due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and the NBA finally stepped in and decided to postpone their games this week against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. The Athletic's James Edwards III first reported the likelihood of Tuesday's game against the Pistons getting postponed, and then ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that and added on that Thursday's game in Toronto is also postponed.
The NBA announced the decision soon after the initial reports dropped:
The following was released by the NBA pic.twitter.com/afG3OqvqlB
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 13, 2021
These are the NBA's first postponements of the season. The league was clearly trying to do all it could to avoid postponing any games, but the situation simply became untenable for the Bulls:
The Chicago Department of Public Health had concerns about the Bulls continuing to play this week, and that played a part in the NBA decision, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 13, 2021
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Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, Javonte Green, Ayo Dosunmu, Derrick Jones Jr., Troy Brown Jr., Alize Johnson, Matt Thomas and Stanley Johnson are all in the health and safety protocols. The Bulls technically have the minimum eight players available as of right now to play, but common sense won out. Among Chicago's remaining players, Alex Caruso recently came back from a hamstring injury, and a struggling Nikola Vucevic missed time earlier this season due to COVID. Patrick Williams is already out for an extended period of time.
The Bulls have already used the hardship exception twice, first signing Stanley Johnson (who almost immediately went into protocols) and then Alfonzo McKinnie. Chicago got thumped by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat this past week while playing with a decimated roster. Even announcers Stacey King and Bill Wennington are in the protocols.
The Bulls are still 17-10 this season, which has them in third in the Eastern Conference. If no more games are postponed, the next scheduled game is Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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