Chicago Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr., Chandler Hutchison practicing again

How long might it be before the Chicago Bulls and head coach Jim Boylen will see center Wendell Carter Jr. and forward Chandler Hutchison back in action?

The injury bug is laying off for the Chicago Bulls a bit heading into the final stretch run for two weeks in Training Camp. The Bulls are two weeks into their preseason slate, and both games amount in losses at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans. Both of those losses came at home at the United Center too.

Two of the most important Bulls players that missed time thus far during the preseason and in Training Camp are both entering their second seasons in the NBA. Those two include center Wendell Carter Jr. and small forward Chandler Hutchison. Carter Jr. and Hutchison were also both the first round draft picks for the Bulls last year.

Since the late stages of the offseason, Hutchison was recovering from a hamstring injury. He was also sent home on the first day of Training Camp with a virus.

Meanwhile, Carter Jr. missed the entirety of the Las Vegas Summer League due to a surgery he had to have to repair a sports hernia injury. He also missed the first two preseason games against the Pelicans and Bucks thanks to an ankle sprain and tailbone contusion. Both of those injuries for Carter Jr. were suffered in the first seven days of Training Camp.

While the Bulls saw Carter Jr. and Hutchison miss at lot of time through practice at Training Camp thus far, it appears both are working their way back into the mix. Head coach Jim Boylen also should be thrilled about having two of the important pieces to this young core back at practice.

According to a Tweet from Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald in Chicago, Carter Jr. returned to practice on Oct. 10 and could make his preseason debut for the Bulls against the Indiana Pacers on the road on Oct. 11. But he is apparently listed as “questionable”.

And McGraw also Tweeted earlier in the day on Oct. 10 three other injury updates for Bulls players. Shooting guard Denzel Valentine had a rest day at practice on Thursday, guard Shaquille Harrison was held out again, and Hutchison is slowly working his way back.

The Bulls travel to Banker’s Life Fieldhouse on Friday night to face the Central Division foe Pacers to try and rake in their first win of the preseason. Carter Jr. could be back in the mix for the frontcourt rotation. Former New York Knicks center Luke Kornet made his preseason debut against the Pelicans on Oct. 9 at home after missing the first game due to a nagging turf toe injury.