Chicago Bulls’ center Joakim Noah will be out at least two weeks, according to the team. Noah received an MRI after the Bulls’ loss to the Brooklyn Nets showing a sprained shoulder. The team announced that the veteran will be re-evaluated in two weeks in order to gauge whether he is able to return.
Noah’s injury and absence could be a big blow to a team struggling to find consistent success. The 15-11 Bulls have done enough to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference but have also suffered some brutal losses including the aforementioned one to the Nets at home. Losing a veteran who has had plenty of success with this team could lead to even more losing and dysfunction.
On the other hand, Noah being out leads to more minutes for rookie Bobby Portis who has recently cracked the rotation and shown positive signs in small minutes. The Bulls are loaded in the frontcourt with Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol, and Nikola Mirotic also being big parts of the rotation and freeing up time for a rookie with a high ceiling could be somewhat of a blessing in disguise. Based on Portis’ play during this stretch, the Bulls may be forced to trade one of their more established big-men to keep the young player as an integral part of the team.
Meanwhile, they will need him, along with the other previously mentioned bigs, to up their game to make up for the loss of Noah.
