Luke Kornet is expected to miss some time after undergoing a procedure earlier this morning to deal with a sinus obstruction.
Check it out:
OFFICIAL: Luke Kornet underwent a surgical procedure today to address a sinus obstruction. He originally broke his nose on Dec. 19, 2018, while with the Knicks. Updates on his status will be provided when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/wXcEuCqQrk
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 18, 2019
The Bulls Twitter accounts released the official word, noting that the surgery dealt with a long-standing issue from when Kornet broke his nose in December of last season (while with the Knicks). No exact timetable for his return has been provided.
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson did grab a quote from Boylen ahead of tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, and the head coach said the original expectations were that Kornet could return after seven to ten days, but the team said updates will come “when appropriate.”
With Kornet out of the Bulls rotation and not appearing in the team’s previous three contests, chances are the Bulls felt comfortable enough to deal with the needed surgery now. However, if Wendell Carter Jr. or Lauri Markkanen were to get into foul trouble or (please, no) banged up, the bench options at center are very limited. While rarely used, Cristiano Felicio is also out 4-6 weeks after suffering a wrist injury.
The Bulls will have second-round pick Daniel Gafford at their disposal though, someone Bulls fans have been begging to get a real glimpse of.
The Bulls have recalled Daniel Gafford from the @WindyCityBulls. https://t.co/GZTHMtSijs
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 18, 2019
The Bulls recalled Gafford from the Windy City Bulls earlier this morning, where he played in two games this weekend. Gafford dropped 12 and 20 points in his two performances, respectively -recording a double-double in the team’s second game against the Canton Charge with 13 rebounds. He shot extremely efficient over his two contests, going a combined 16-21 from the field.
The verdict is still out on how well Gafford will handle NBA-size, but with the Bulls still looking to work on rebounding and the rim-protecting, it feels worth it to give him a shot.