Chicago Bulls second-year center Wendell Carter Jr. has been out since Jan. 6 due to a sprained ankle. He injured his foot when he landed on the foot of Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell.

Carter is hoping to play for the Bulls on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets, but he can't make any promises:

Carter has appeared in 37 games for the Bulls this season. He’s averaging 11.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 53.7 percent from the field, 21.4 percent from beyond the arc and 73.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The Bulls went 19-36 in the first half of the season. They are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The only way the Bulls are going to make the playoffs is if Carter and Lauri Markkanen get healthy fast and play at a high level so Zach LaVine has some help on offense. Markkanen is out due to injury as well and it’s unknown when he’ll return to the lineup.

The Bulls are in year three of the post-Jimmy Butler rebuild. Things so far haven't gone to plan. There's talk in Chicago that the Bulls are looking to replace general manager Gar Forman this summer. That's something every fan in Chicago is praying for.

Carter is arguably the best defender in Chicago, especially now since it appears guard Kris Dunn could be done for the season.