Although the Chicago Bulls‘ Covid situation has improved significantly compared to what it was a few weeks ago, the team continues to see new players entering health and safety protocols.
On Wednesday, it was hardship signee Ersan Ilyasova who joined the Covid crew. Less than 24 hours later, NBC Sports Chicago’s Rob Schaefer relayed that big man Marko Simonovic would be joining him. That brings the team’s year-to-date protocol count to 17 (or 18, if we’re counting head coach Billy Donovan).
As of this writing, the Bulls players currently in protocols include Ilyasova, Simonovic, Lonzo Ball, Tony Bradley and Alfonzo McKinnie. Again, it’s better than the situation earlier this month when 10 players were out simultaneously. However, that’s still a big enough list to cause Chicago some problems.
In the wake of their latest additions to the protocol squad, the Bulls were prompted to make another hardship signing. And this one is a flashback to the 2017 NBA draft.
Shams: Bulls Signing Jordan Bell
Per a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bulls intend to sign big man Jordan Bell to a 10-day hardship deal. The 26-year-old, who is a veteran of 160 NBA games, had most recently played for the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors.
Bulls fans may remember that Bell was drafted by Chicago with the 38th pick in the ’17 draft. However, his rights were quickly dealt to Golden State for $3.5 million in cash considerations.
Bell had just captured Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and helped the Oregon Ducks reach the Final Four, and there was a thought in the Bay Area that he could develop into a Draymond Green-like defender.
As a rookie with the Warriors, he appeared in 57 games and made 13 starts. In doing so, he averaged 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.6 steals per contest. He also connected on 62.7% of his field-goal attempts. He played in 68 more games with the Warriors in year two, but his minutes and production dropped across the board.
Ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, he signed a free-agent deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, he has since been traded multiple times and made sporadic appearances for a handful of different NBA and G League teams, including a single-game run with the Warriors to close out last season.
Derrick Jones Jr. Returning?
Per the latest injury report, forward Derrick Jones, Jr. is available to play in the Bulls’ Wednesday night bout with the Atlanta Hawks. After a one-game stint in health and safety protocols, Jones returned to the court on December 19 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Unfortunately, he was limited to just five minutes of action before he tweaked a hamstring. Consequently, he has missed the Bulls’ last three games.
After starting 43 games for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, Jones came to the Windy City as part of the three-way trade that saw Lauri Markkanen land in Cleveland, while Larry Nance Jr. went Northwest. In 23 appearances for the Bulls this season, he has averaged 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
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Bulls Sign Former Draftee as Big Man Hits Protocols: Report