The Chicago Bulls are returning home from a five-game road slate that they finished 2-3, which, for a team desperate to land a franchise-changing prospect in the draft, is two wins too many. The Memphis Grizzlies, one spot up on the Bulls in the lottery standings, are hoping for their eighth consecutive defeat.
Which big names, if any, are on the injury report for tonight's (March 16) contest between two teams dreaming of a shot at Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Caleb Wilson?
Bulls still struggling to evaluate Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons
Chicago Executive VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas acquired seven players at this year's trade deadline, chief among them guards Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Rob Dillingham and Anfernee Simons.
As a restricted free agent, it would be a huge help for the Bulls and head coach Billy Donovan to see how the 24-year-old Ivey could fit as a potential long-term piece. Unfortunately, he has only appeared in four games for Chicago and will miss another one tonight as he deals with knee soreness.
Simons is arguably a finished product as a scoring combo guard, but Donovan hasn't been able to evaluate him either. He'll miss his 11th straight game with a wrist injury.
On the bright side, the Bulls' injury report has shortened with Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith no longer making the cut.
Grizzlies have a tank-friendly injured list
Memphis already has a quartet of players set to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season: Santi Aldama, Scotty Pippen Jr., Zach Edey and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Star point guard Ja Morant (former star? potentially former star? maybe-someday-again former star?) is still experiencing "elbow discomfort," which puts the rest of his season in jeopardy. Surely the Grizzlies don't expect him, or, frankly, want him, to play until 2026-27 at the soonest.
Maybe the Bulls should take a page out of Memphis' playbook and use their barren and injured roster to help boost their lottery odds.
Full injury report for Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls
The complete injury report for tonight's game is as follows:
Chicago Bulls
Out: Zach Collins (toe surgery); Noa Essengue (shoulder surgery); Jaden Ivey (knee); Anfernee Simons (wrist); Isaac Okoro (knee)
Questionable: Collin Sexton (leg)
Probable: Lachlan Olbrich (calf); Nick Richards (back)
Memphis Grizzlies
Out: Ja Morant (elbow); Zach Edey (ankle); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (finger); Santi Aldama (knee); Brandon Clarke (calf); Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe)
Doubtful: GG Jackson (foot); Ty Jerome (shoulder)
Questionable: Walter Clayton Jr. (ankle)