While Lauri Markkanen and Ryan Arcidiacono will not be joining the rest of their Bulls teammates in Los Angeles for the finale of this road trip on Sunday, there was at least some momentum building to get both of them back sooner than later.
According to coach Billy Donovan, the two continued testing negative for the coronavirus, which means they’ve been able to get individual workouts in at the Advocate Center, in hopes of returning to the court when the team hosts the Celtics on Tuesday.
“They’re still negative and they’ve been able to get some work in, which is good,’’ Donovan said on Friday. “That’s our main concern was obviously they continue to test negative and they are not working out they are quarantined, so we’ve been able to get them some work in through the league. Obviously the league plays a major role in that, working with them on it. But we’ve been able to get some done which has been at least good considering it’s been about a week since they’ve really had any kind of work like that.’’
Arcidiacono and Markkanen were part of the four Bulls players that entered the NBA’s health and safety protocol last week.
Chandler Hutchison was the first domino to fall while the team was in Washington, when the forward tested positive. Markkanen, Arcidiacono and Tomas Satoransky were each put into the protocol immediately for contact tracing, and Satoransky tested positive several days later.
Both Hutchison and Satoransky still had hurdles to clear before they can return, including numerous negative tests, as well as going through heart testing, before they can be cleared.
Markkanen and Arcidiacono are on a much quicker path as long as there are no setbacks.
“I’m not quite sure what the number is [of negative tests] but obviously there’s been nothing that’s come out where they have tested positive so my guess is when we get back they’ll be able to rejoin the team, but again I think the NBA will make a huge decision on that, they’ll be behind the decision,’’ Donovan said. “The biggest thing for us is when we get back can we just integrate them into the team? My guess is we would be if they continue to test negative. But we’d have only really one day between the next game we would play, so if they can get some work in while we are out West that’s helpful to re-acclimate them to the team and the hopefully them being in position physically where they can potentially play the next game.’’
What will be interesting is to see what role Markkanen returns to. Arcidiacono will stay a reserve, but Markkanen was a starter and playing well.
If he returns to starting would that also mean he gets the chance to close games? For the last week, Donovan has been finishing games with Zach LaVine, Coby White, Garrett Temple, Otto Porter Jr., and Thad Young.
Rook to King
Donovan is not shy about continuing to give rookie Patrick Williams defensive assignments against generational-level players.
Williams already matched up against Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, was scheduled to see LeBron James on Friday, and would also get a chance at Kawhi Leonard on Sunday.
“He’s watched film, he’s prepared,’’ Donovan said of Williams. “I don’t think you learn about playing against players until you actually go through it. And these experiences will be good for him, and he’ll learn something from this.’’
As for Williams, he’s said numerous times that he welcomes the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best players.
