The Chicago Bulls have already shut Lauri Markkanen down for the season, and Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr. and Kris Dunn might also be done. All three players will not play against the New York Knicks on Monday, and time is running out for them to return to action:
Goes without saying but at this point, though Bulls aren't saying so officially other than Markkanen, the surprise would be if LaVine, Dunn or Porter plays in any of 5 remaining games.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 31, 2019
LaVine hasn't played since a March 18 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He has been dealing with knee and thigh injuries. The 24-year-old has enjoyed a career season, averaging 23.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 63 games.
Porter hasn't suited up since an ugly March 17 loss against the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls came close to ruling Porter out for the season because of a shoulder injury, but they haven't officially done it yet. The forward came to Chicago from the Washington Wizards in a trade involving Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker, and the 25-year-old impressed before going down with his injury. Porter is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 48.8 percent from 3-land in Chicago.
Dunn last played in a 31-point loss to the Utah Jazz on March 23. He played through a back injury in that game and really struggled, scoring four points on 1-of-8 shooting. It has been a tough year for Dunn overall, as he's only averaging 11.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 42.5 percent from the field. The Bulls will be looking for a point guard upgrade this summer.
The 21-56 Bulls don't have anything left to play for this season, so there's little reason to bring any of these players back. Chicago will likely finish with the fourth-worst record in the NBA, which would give them a 12.5 percent chance at the No. 1 pick.
The Bulls just signed Walter Lemon Jr. and JaKarr Sampson as they deal with all these injuries.
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