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Malika AndrewsESPN
CHICAGO — Bulls rookie Chandler Hutchison has a fractured right toe, the team announced Saturday. He will be placed in a walking boot for two to four weeks and reevaluated after the All-Star break.
According to the team, the injury was to a sesamoid bone in his right foot and occured during Wednesday’s game against Atlanta.
Hutchison had an X-ray taken after Chicago’s loss to the LA Clippers on Friday night, and underwent an MRI on Saturday morning to confirm when the injury occurred.
Hutchison, who matched his career-high 12 points on Friday, became a starter after Justin Holiday was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Hutchison also recorded 12 rebounds against the Clippers, notching his first career double-double.
Hutchison was selected 22nd overall by the Bulls in the 2018 draft. Through 44 games, the small forward is averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, and has quickly become a favorite of Bulls coach Jim Boylen.
“I like his defense,” Boylen said of Hutchison in early January. “I like his length. I like his rebounding.”
Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen also sat out Saturday’s practice. LaVine had a slight limp as he walked out of the arena after Friday’s game against the Clippers.
Boylen said LaVine’s left ankle was swollen and Markkanen’s hip was “very sore.” LaVine already missed five games this season after tweaking his ankle against the Orlando Magic in Mexico City in December. Without LaVine and Markkanen, only eight players were able to practice Saturday.
The Bulls are already short-handed. Wendell Carter Jr. had surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament of his left thumb on Monday and is expected to be out for 8 to 12 weeks. Denzel Valentine had season-ending ankle surgery earlier this season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski contributed to this report.