The Chicago Bulls were looking to build on momentum going into this season. But they’ve already hit a couple of roadblocks, both with contract dilemmas and injury issues. Starting shooting guard Coby White, their leading scorer from the previous year, has been dealing with a calf issue since August, which has slowed the team’s and his own ramp-up. Despite setbacks threatening to disrupt the Bulls’ rhythm, however, Josh Giddey isn’t letting anyone’s energy dip.

In a recent presser, Giddey admitted, “I mean, it sucks anytime any player is out. You never want to see a player injured, and I’ve been through it myself. I know how tough it is to sit on the sideline and watch.” The Bulls star is no stranger to how easily momentum can be ruined by injury, having witnessed Chet Holmgren miss his entire rookie year during his previous stint in OKC.

“Coby is such an important piece to what we do. And I felt like, not just me and him, but him and the rest of our guys had a really good, strong end to the season last year. That was obviously momentum we were hoping to build off come opening night,” Josh Giddey continued.

Bear in mind that Coby White is entering the final year of his $36 million contract, which he signed in 2023. Reports, however, have suggested that the Bulls won’t have that extension conversation with the player at this time.

Those negotiations won’t be easy because nobody expects White to sign for less than $80-90 million. It will have to wait until midseason at the earliest or next year entirely. However, as he nears free agency, the Bulls will receive calls regardless of his performance. Despite the concerns, though, there’s still no panic in the locker room.

“Injuries are part of the game. The medical staff will take care of him, and when he’s back, I think that momentum will pick up fairly quickly from where we left off,” Giddey concluded. The point guard, who signed a $100 million deal this offseason, understands that his responsibility isn’t just putting up stats. It’s about ensuring the ball is moved and maintaining continuity in the system until the roster is back to full strength.

Head coach Billy Donovan also weighed in, providing some details on the latest injury report.

“No, it just wasn’t a setback,” Donovan clarified.

“The hurdle was the treadmill running, and once he kind of got past that, he was able to get on the court. But coming out of that practice, he felt tightness again back there. Until he can get that removed, that’s where the problem’s going to occur,“ the HC said, making it clear that the setback isn’t catastrophic, but it’s big enough to put a pause on progress. He wasn’t too worried about his starter out but about whether his team could retain a collective identity.

Billy Donovan further highlighted that the recovery process is a day-by-day affair. According to him, “He’s pretty conscientious about saying, ‘Okay, this is bothering me…’ He went through some of it and… he told the medical staff, ‘This is tight.’ So, until he can get past that hurdle on a consistent basis, because I think we had talked about the minute restriction for him was going to be hopefully between 20 and 24 minutes, but we’re not even at that place right now until he can get on the court.” This raises a rather obvious question that needs to be addressed now that we’re nearing the end of the offseason.

How are the Chicago Bulls navigating Coby White’s absence? Who replaces him?

Josh Giddey is expected to run the offense for Chicago, alongside either bench point guard Tre Jones or bench shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu. While Giddey will likely remain the primary playmaker in the backcourt, the choice between Jones and Dosunmu will dictate how they maintain rhythm or generate scoring opportunities, as the team hopes to stay cohesive through transition plays and Billy Donovan’s new ‘run-or-done’ offense, which prioritizes three-point shots.

Lineup adjustments are also necessary for the frontcourt. Backup center Zach Collins is set to miss at least a month following a left wrist fracture in the preseason matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Currently, the most likely options are sophomore Matas Buzelis at small forward, Jalen Smith at power forward, and veteran big Nikola Vucevic at center. Off the bench, the Bulls will likely look at Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter, and Isaac Okoro to contribute, with a specific focus on defense, since Collins was their best defensive frontcourt player through preseason.

Billy Donovan and Co. face a tough early stretch, facing Eastern Conference contenders like Philadelphia, Orlando, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Cleveland while also playing challenging Western Conference teams like Sacramento and San Antonio. An emphasis on careful minute management will be critical to preserve player health and maximize bench rotations until Coby White and Zach Collins can safely return.