Nov. 10, 2025 — Chicago, Illinois. What started as one of the most promising beginnings to a Bulls season in years has now spiraled into a full-blown crisis, the kind that derails momentum, fractures rotations, and exposes every weakness a team has tried to hide. Head coach Billy Donovan looked animated — bordering on desperate — as he barked instructions during a tense first half against the Spurs earlier this week. Now we know why: Chicago is running out of players.
The Bulls, once a crisp 6–1 surprise in the East, limp into Friday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets carrying a staggering 11 players on the injury report — a number that instantly changes the tone around their season. A month ago they felt like a rising contender; today, they look like a team clinging to identity, health, and basic functionality.
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At 9–8, Chicago’s early spark has dimmed under the weight of inconsistency and a relentless wave of setbacks. But nothing hits harder than an injury list so long it reads like a midseason obituary.
The damage is brutal and wide-ranging.
Zach Collins remains sidelined with a left scaphoid fracture, a troublesome injury with no quick fix. Defensive stopper Isaac Okoro, originally listed as questionable, has now been downgraded to doubtful with lumbar radiculopathy — the type of back issue that sends red flags across any training staff.
And the hits keep coming.
A viral update from reporter Joel Lorenzi on November 27 painted the grim reality:
“Lengthy Bulls injury report for tomorrow in Charlotte. Five guys questionable. Okoro upgraded to doubtful. Coby White (injury management) listed.”
Those “five guys” aren’t fringe players — they’re the backbone of the rotation. Kevin Huerter, Coby White, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic, and Dalen Terry all carry the dreaded questionable tag, leaving Donovan with a rotation held together by tape, luck, and whatever spark he can squeeze from unexpected contributors.
This is no longer a “next man up” situation. It’s “who’s still standing?”
The cascading injuries have forced Donovan to juggle lineups possession by possession, elevating players who weren’t expected to shoulder shot creation, defensive assignments, or late-game execution. The strain is visible. The frustration is audible. And the consequences are already showing up in the standings.
Chicago isn’t just losing players — they’re losing rhythm, chemistry, and momentum, the intangible triad that powered that early 6–1 start. Every time they seem ready to stabilize, another setback rips away continuity.
The only silver lining? The Hornets come in riding a seven-game losing streak. But even that feels like a trap. A desperate opponent, at home, facing a Bulls team patched together at the seams, can quickly turn a vulnerable lineup into another early-season nightmare.
Chicago still has time — time to heal, time to recalibrate, time to reclaim the energy that made November feel like a breakthrough instead of a breakdown. But the margin for error is shrinking by the day, and the reality is unmistakable: this season is now in the hands of a roster that may or may not physically make it to the All-Star break.
The Bulls haven’t lost control yet.
But their grip?
It’s slipping — fast.
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