CHICAGO _ Lauri Markkanen said it's "impossible to say" how long it will take for him to find his game rhythm when he makes his season debut, which, barring a setback, is nearing.
The versatile power forward practiced Tuesday for the first time since spraining his right elbow in September.
It's quite possible, though, to say how much the Bulls offense misses Markkanen, who added 16 pounds of muscle with designs to improve upon a banner rookie season. The 7-foot Finnish forward averaged 15.2 points and 36.2 percent 3-point shooting while earning first-team All-Rookie honors.
Even with rookie Wendell Carter Jr. making an impact and Zach LaVine averaging a career-high 25.7 points, the Bulls offense ranks last in the NBA with an offensive rating of 101 points per 100 possessions.
"It's been tough," Markkanen said of watching the losing and widespread injuries that also have claimed Kris Dunn, Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine. "But I've been trying to just learn as much as I can. You definitely learn more about what the team needs when you're out of the game.
"Hopefully, I can help the team a lot. Just doing the basics _ get the pace up, stuff like that. Trying my best."
Markkanen said he only has lost "a couple pounds" of the muscle he added during the offseason and is confident in his shot. Watching film, he even has noticed a difference in his form from when he started shooting in the rehabilitation process to now.
"Couple weeks back, I couldn't shoot 3s," he said. "It was just short range. But it didn't feel normal then. So I kept doing it and got movement back. Day by day, it feels better. When I first started, I thought I was extending my arm like normal. But I kind of automatically cut it short a little bit so it wouldn't hurt. But now I've been getting to my normal shot. And it feels normal."
Which should, in turn, make the Bulls offense more normal. In particular, the Bulls can lessen their reliance on LaVine, who consistently has been drawing double-teams.
Markkanen isn't worried about his fit with LaVine.
"Obviously, I see how Zach plays," Markkanen said. "Everyone on the team isn't worried about their own shots. And that's how I feel. I'm just looking forward to getting back out there."
The plan for when Markkanen makes his debut is simple. Integrate him fully in each practice and shootaround and, if he feels any pain, scale back. Hoiberg said Markkanen will need "at least a week" to get "multiple practices" under his belt.
Counting Tuesday, the Bulls have three practices scheduled before the Dec. 4 road game against the Pacers, which has been discussed internally for Markkanen's return.
Hoiberg is confident Markkanen will be honest in his assessment of how he feels physically.
"He's had moments where he's gone to the trainers and said, 'I felt a little something,' " Hoiberg said. "We all have to have some patience throughout this process as he works himself back after missing as much time as he has."
Markkanen wore an elbow sleeve as he addressed reporters. But that's a far cry from the bulky brace he sported after suffering the injury on the third day of training camp.
"It's kind of hard to explain, but there is good pain and bad pain," Markkanen said. "So I can tell by myself if it actually hurts or if it's just soreness. I know it by myself whether it's good or not."
Markkanen's return can help ease the pain of the Bulls' offensive struggles.
