It was subtle but it was progress.
At this point Bulls coach Billy Donovan will take it.
Hours before Sunday’s game with visiting Golden State, out there on the court getting work in was not only Jalen Smith (left hamstring) and Kevin Huerter (adductor), but Isaac Okoro (back). Each of them missed and each of them important, but it was the Okoro update that might have the biggest impact.
Not only because of the physicality he brings to a Bulls team that far too often would rather be in a pillow fight, but his defensive presence in guarding the opposing team’s best wing player.
The Bulls were 1-6 without Okoro and have looked awful defensively. The fact that Okoro – acquired in the offseason from Cleveland in the Lonzo Ball deal – was working out Sunday and would have four days between the next game to try and get ready was all Donovan could hope for.
“Certainly, the four days coming up will be helpful to them,” Donovan said. “I feel like all those guys are improving, but the only thing I don’t know in speaking to Isaac a little bit is we’re going to have to see in practices that I think he can control when he’s in a one-on-zero workout in terms of the running, but OK what happens if he goes up for a rebound and he reaches back? That’s the only thing I don’t know at this point and time.”
Okoro’s back issue has been tricky because it does seem to be some sort of pinched nerve, so there is pain shooting down his leg when he moves a certain way, according to Donovan. Even if he gets through the next four days and feels better does that mean he’s game ready?
“He has made progress, he has felt better, but he still feels like when he goes back he still feels it there,” Donovan said. “Some of those symptoms have subsided, but the hardest part for me seeing this going forward is Isaac, Jalen and Kevin, they’re all going to need some ramp up. Even if they’re feeling really good, I don’t know if the medical guys are going to say, ‘OK, you’re fine,’ and throw them right back into a game.”
Summer school
Noa Essengue confirmed everything Donovan spoke about concerning his scheduled Wednesday season-ending shoulder surgery, reiterating that it was his decision.
“If I waited until the end of the season I would be gone all summer, and if I do it now, I can have all summer,” Essengue said.
Drafted 12th overall last June, Essengue said it was the second time he dislocated the shoulder. After getting multiple opinions, he was told that it would continue happening unless he had it repaired. Considering he really wasn’t a part of the Bulls’ immediate plans it made more sense to just treat the 2025-26 campaign more like a red-shirt year and get ready to use the summer to work on his game after he’s healed up.
Gamer
Ayo Dosunmu missed the Friday loss to Indiana with a sprained right thumb, but despite being listed as questionable against the Warriors he opted to give it a go.
The free agent-to-be was averaging a career-best 15.8 points per game this season, despite battling issues with both thumbs at certain times since fall camp started.