The Bulls will enter the 2025-26 campaign hoping to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2022, and they'll begin that journey short-handed. Two of the most essential pieces down the stretch of last season will be sidelined for the beginning portion of the year, leaving the first opportunity for the younger players to earn a long-term role. What's the latest on Chicago's injuries, and how much will it impact winning in the early stages of the regular season?
Coby White Sidelined At Least Two Weeks
Coby White has suffered a calf injury that will be re-evaluated in two weeks. As Chicago's leading scorer with 20.4 points per game, leading shot-taker with 15.1 attempted per night, and number one three-point threat with 2.9 made per game, they'll feel his absence. Not only did he provide the most stable source of offense, but White was also one of the top playmakers a year ago, and he creates the most offense outside of Josh Giddey. The Bulls' theorized backcourt of Giddey and White will be put on hold, a duo that was offensively near the most potent in the NBA a year ago.
THE BULLS ARE CHARGING 😡
— NBA (@NBA) March 29, 2025
In March...
Coby White: 29.5 PPG, 37.3 3PT%, 2x Player of the Week
Josh Giddey: 22.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 9.5 APG, 41.2 3PT% pic.twitter.com/hgmwoeRY8S
The exciting part for the Bulls' nation is wondering where the offensive supplementation will come from. Will Buzelis take a giant leap in that department? Will Ayo Dosunmu or Isaac Okoro become playmaking guards with three-point abilities? While there is no parallel replacement for White, there are a plethora of options that can fill the void.
Zach Collins Sidelined At Least One Month
Four days ago, Zach Collins underwent a successful surgery to replace his fractured wrist. The Bulls have placed a four-week re-evaluation timeline on him, leaving a stretch-five role up for grabs. While Nikola Vucevic will likely start and retain most of the minutes in that spot, Jalen Smith will be leaned on in his absence. When called upon, Collins was instrumental down the stretch for Chicago defensively and provided some offensive firepower. Over the last three months of the year, he averaged nearly 20 minutes a game, grabbing six rebounds and shooting over 50% from the floor. He was sporadic in his three-point shooting, but did provide the threat of deep shooting ability, scoring at over a 30% clip from beyond the arc.
The absence of Zach Collins could immediately prove detrimental tn.
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 22, 2025
Pistons were 5th in PITP in '24-25. Bulls allowed the most PITP last season, but they at least improved to 18th once Collins joined for the final 32 games.
Without him, I expect things to be pretty ugly again.
While Chicago is not completely mangled with injuries, these are key. Upon their returns, White and Collins will be consistent roster pieces who contribute to winning basketball games. The first few weeks might feature a slow start for a team missing two of its most essential assets.
