Injuries are hounding the Chicago Bulls once again, although the roster could be back to normal a bit once the regular season starts.
Everyone has heard of Mike Dunleavy being ruled out probably for 2015 at the least, and then there is that orbital fracture that Derrick Rose suffered in the Bulls' first official practice.
Even before the injury bug bit Dunleavy and Rose, there's forward Taj Gibson who underwent ankle surgery in the offseason. So if you don't see him active in the preseason games, this is the reason why.
Gibson underwent surgery last June for a torn ligament, something he played through last season.
Depending on the state of his ankle, there is a chance he could be ready by the third or fourth preseason game. If that is the case, Gibson could make his preseason debut either against the Minnesota Timberwolves or the New Orleans Pelicans.
"He's looking better all the time. His big thing is getting his conditioning back and showing his explosiveness. He's excited, but he's in poor condition right now," says first year head coach Fred Hoiberg on Gibson, according to Daily Herald. "You don't want him to go out there while he's doing that and favoring the ankle and hurting something else. We'll continue to take it slow," he added.
Gibson was, of course, the subject of multiple trade rumors in the offseason as well, but nothing really materialized. With Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah starting, Gibson has been seen as the chief reliever for the Chicago Bulls frontline.
But before looking ahead, Hoiberg is apparently cautious on how and when to field in his players.
While Gibson is seen as someone by many as the odd man out, he does still officially play for the Bulls. So until the time comes that he is eventually dealt, he is under the jurisdiction of Hoiberg who seems to have plans utilizing the veteran forward this season.
