The unfortunate string of injuries that seemingly always occurs for the Chicago Bulls in Training Camp continued this week with center Wendell Carter Jr.
Since the month of July, the second-year former seventh overall NBA Draft pick of the Chicago Bulls Wendell Carter Jr. was unable to stay healthy. The talented center underwent surgery for a sports hernia injury back in July and he’s had two other issues since. In just three days of Training Camp, the Bulls already saw Carter Jr. go through a minor ankle sprain and a tailbone contusion.
These injuries Carter Jr. suffered through what should be a lack of intense basketball action are confounding. But head coach Jim Boylen seems like the one to run much more intense practices than most other coaches in the NBA. An injury like a tailbone contusion could’ve come from a wide variety of camp drills, but that seems like it would stem from a very intense practice.
Even though getting this team in the right shape and mindset for the coming season is important, the best players on the roster have to at least be healthy. The Bulls already missed Carter Jr. for around half of his rookie season. Any extended period of time he missed due to injury beyond that could dramatically stunt his development.
Last season, Carter Jr. played in 44 games and averaged 10.3 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.6 steals. He posted a decent stat line for only getting to play half a regular season as a rookie. But there’s incremental improvements he can make in his game to take a big leap in his sophomore season with the Bulls. That is if he’s able to stay healthy.
The trend of three injuries through an offseason and three days of Training Camp (at least since July), doesn’t signal much progression in the injury department. The tailbone contusion that Carter Jr. suffered early in Training Camp reportedly held him out of practice in days three and four.
Wendell Carter (tailbone) & Shaq Harrison (hamstring) skipped practice today. Denzel Valentine got a rest day. Chandler Hutchison (hamstring) did some running. Luke Kornet (turf toe) is getting better, according to Jim Boylen. #Bulls
— Mike McGraw (@McGrawDHSports) October 4, 2019
Other Bulls players that are missing due to injury in day four of Training Camp include point guard Shaquille Harrison and small forward Chandler Hutchison (both hamstring injuries), and center Luke Kornet (turf toe). Shooting guard Denzel Valentine also sat out for a rest day.
All in all, the hope is that none of those aforementioned five injuries are too severe. Carter Jr. had the largest number of injuries since the Las Vegas Summer League debuted back in July. Given his injury history dating back last season with the Bulls, his has to be the most concerning.
When the Bulls tip off their preseason slate against the Milwaukee Bucks at home at the United Center on Oct. 7, the thought from the coaching staff should be load management for Carter Jr.