Michael Carter-Williams was a late addition to the Chicago Bulls’ roster, arriving in the Oct. 17 trade that sent Tony Snell to the Milwaukee Bucks. As such, he had much to learn in a short amount of time in prepping for the backup point guard role behind Rajon Rondo.
As such, Carter-Williams will have even more to learn and adapt to now that he will be sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks weeks with a bone bruise to his left knee.
Michael Carter-Williams is out 4-6 weeks with a bone bruise on his left knee & a sprained left wrist
MORE: https://t.co/Kof1qKICki pic.twitter.com/CyUhybqtaM
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) November 1, 2016
The fourth-year guard and 2014 Rookie of the Year with Philadelphia got hurt when he fell to the floor in the second quarter of the Bulls’ victory at Brooklyn Monday. Carter-Williams also sprained his left wrist on the play, but it was the knee injury that had Chicago awaiting MRI results Tuesday.
That the Bulls could announce Carter-Williams’ injury as a bone bruise rather than a torn ligament was considered good news. Still, his recovery time is significant for a player whose appearances have declined from 70 as a rookie to 66 to 54 last season. Carter-Williams’ length and defense are what appeal most to Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg.
This does open up backcourt minutes for reserves Isaiah Canaan and rookie Denzel Valentine. Canaan, picked by Houston in the second round of the 2013 draft in which Carter-Williams went No. 11, had 11 points in 14 minutes against Indiana Saturday and 15 points with six assists in 22 minutes against the Nets Monday. On a squad long on mid-range shooters, the Bulls value Canaan’s 3-point range; he has hit 6-of-12 from the arc so far, compared to Carter-Williams 4-of-15 shooting overall.
Valentine, the No. 14 pick from Michigan State in June, has size (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) but missed time in the preseason with a sprained ankle and has logged only 12 minutes so far.
