The Chicago Bulls entered Monday night’s matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs missing a key piece of their rotation. Josh Giddey joined Coby White and Zach Collins on the injury list, and his absence was immediately felt at the United Center, with Chicago trailing 26-34 after the first quarter. You can thank De’Andre Hunter for that.

Giddey’s sprained right ankle was confirmed by both the team and head coach Billy Donovan. He had been listed as questionable before ultimately being ruled out prior to tip-off.

The injury traces back to Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, when Hunter unleashed a literal ankle-breaker that sent Giddey to the floor. Though he returned to finish the game, he went 0-for-6 from the field and was clearly favoring the ankle for the rest of the night. The Bulls went on to lose 128-122, and now, they’ll have to navigate at least one game without one of their key playmakers.

Chicago’s promising start to the season came to a screeching halt with losses to the Bucks and Cavs. Injury woes are further adding to the doubts. But the embarrassment rubbed salt in the wound.

“I was kinda on my tippy-toes, so it was the weak point of your ankle. As he made the cross-over, I was up on my tippy-toe and tried to change direction, and my ankle just kinda rolled a little bit,” Giddey said about Hunter’s crossover after Saturday’s game.

The 23-year-old is nursing his ankle and wounded pride because of Hunter now while the Bulls are left to face Wemby on their own.

Josh Giddey enjoyed a largely injury-free 2024-25 season, appearing in 70 games and establishing himself as a cornerstone of the Chicago Bulls. That consistency paid off in September 2025, when he signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $100 million extension that keeps him in Chicago through the 2029-30 season- no options for either side.

The Bulls acquired Giddey from Oklahoma City in June 2024 and quickly saw his value. He thrived in the second half of the season, averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists while notching seven triple-doubles- one of the league’s most versatile stat lines.

Chicago reshaped its offense around him: faster pace, more threes, and heavy reliance on his playmaking. With a young core in place, the front office views Giddey as both a leader and a long-term fit.

That’s why the team will be cautious with his current ankle issue. Expect the Bulls to hold him out until medical staff are 100% confident he can return without risk of re-injury.

Bulls coach grapples with Josh Giddey’s void

Through the first nine games of the 2025-26 season, Josh Giddey has been a revelation in Chicago- flirting with a triple-double average of 21.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 9.3 assists on 46% from the field and 39% from deep. He leads the Bulls in scoring and dimes, while trailing only Nikola Vucevic (10.6 rebounds) on the glass. The 6-3 start? Giddey’s fingerprints are all over it.

Head coach Billy Donovan, speaking on the ankle tweak, kept it calm but candid:

“We don’t feel like it’s anything too severe with his ankle,” Donovan said. “He didn’t have really much swelling after the game [Saturday]. He got some [treatment] yesterday and was just a little bit uncomfortable today at shootaround.”

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Donovan wasn’t confident that Giddey would be cleared for Wednesday’s road game against the Pistons, who are currently the best team in the East. He’s counting on the three-day break to give the guard ample time to recover.

Without Giddey and White, Donovan will rely on Vucevic and Matas Buzelis to carry the team.