The last time Josh Giddey appeared in the Bulls’ lineup, Chicago suffered a 136–101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Giddey exited in the third quarter after tallying 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists. He appeared to come up gimpy while bringing the ball up the court and was ruled out shortly thereafter.
Josh Giddey upgraded to probable
A day later, on December 30, it was revealed that Giddey had suffered a strained hamstring and would miss at least a few weeks. Fast forward 23 days, and the 6-foot-8 floor general appears on track to make his first appearance of 2026—ironically against the Timberwolves.
Giddey was listed as questionable against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 20 after practicing fully with the Windy City Bulls, but ultimately sat out. This time around, he participated fully in Chicago’s morning shootaround, upgrading his status from questionable to probable, making him all but certain to play.
As a result, the Bulls will likely only be without Zach Collins, who continues to recover from a toe sprain. That said, Collins isn’t expected back anytime soon, as head coach Billy Donovan indicated the big man will remain out until the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, Patrick Williams is listed as questionable once again, marking the third consecutive game he’s carried that designation. Williams remains day-to-day while recovering from an ankle sprain.
Julius Randle's availability on the fence
The Timberwolves’ injury report is just about as clear-cut as the Bulls’. Terrence Shannon Jr. will miss his 14th straight game with a foot injury. Minnesota last provided an update a little over a week ago, noting that Shannon Jr. has made progress but still does not have a timetable to return.
Aside from Shannon Jr., Julius Randle also landed on the injury report with foot soreness. Randle has played in 44 games for the Timberwolves this season, averaging 22.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. The power forward was a late addition to the report despite participating in Minnesota’s morning shootaround, making him a true game-time decision.
Full injury report for Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves
The complete injury report for tonight's game is as follows:
Chicago Bulls
Out: Zach Collins (Right 1st Toe Sprain), Noa Essengue (Left Shoulder Surgery).
Questionable: Patrick Williams (Right Ankle Sprain).
Probable: Josh Giddey (Left Hamstring Strain).
Minnesota Timberwolves
Out: Terrence Shannon Jr. (Left Foot; Abductor Hallucis Strain).
Questionable: Julius Randle (Left Foot Soreness).