EL’ AND BACK: LAURI IN PRACTICE
Markkanen won’t hazard a return date, but Hoiberg says excitement is building
Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen wouldn’t make a prediction on a return date or even discuss what he’ll have to offer a struggling team when he feels ready to make his season debut.
Markkanen, who has been sidelined the last nine weeks with an injured right elbow, just wanted to get through his first full-contact practice without a setback and wake up Wednesday morning in Milwaukee feeling good.
“We’re going day by day,’’ he said. “[Tuesday was] the first real practice for me. We’ll see how it reacts to that. Hopefully, [I’ll be back] soon.
“Impossible to say [when a rhythm comes back]. I’ve been playing basketball now, but it’s totally different from five-on-five. I’m just trying to get my wind back because obviously no matter how much I do conditioning-wise, games are different. Hopefully, it doesn’t take long.’’
The second year of the Bulls’ rebuild has been a disaster, and the undoing began when Markkanen went down the first week of training camp. Injuries to Denzel Valentine (left ankle), Kris Dunn (left knee) and Bobby Portis (right knee) followed, but Markkanen’s was the most significant simply because of the high expectations he had coming into the season.
Besides adding 16 pounds of muscle, Markkanen was going to be the focal point of coach Fred Hoiberg’s offense.
He would remain a threat from outside but evolve into a matchup nightmare, especially on switches, with his ability to score in the post. At least, that was the hope.
Now, it’s just about making sure the elbow holds up and the shooting stroke returns. Then we can discuss the damage he’s capable of causing inside and outside.
“[My body’s] pretty much the same,’’ Markkanen said. “I might’ve lost a couple of pounds.
‘‘Every day is different. [My right arm] still feels a little weaker than my left, but that’s normal, and we’re working on it every day. It’s pretty much the same.’’
His range, however, isn’t. Not yet. Markkanen admitted that he had to watch film to see how his shot had changed because he was protecting the elbow.
As he gets more comfortable in practices and gets his conditioning back up, he’s confident that his shooting fundamentals will return.
“When I first started, I thought I was extending my arm like normal,’’ Markkanen said. “But I kind of automatically cut it short a little bit so it wouldn’t hurt.’’
A stint with the Windy City Bulls to get some practice time isn’t in the cards. The G League team has been on the road, and Hoiberg thinks Markkanen can get enough practice time and individual workouts with the Bulls over the next week.
“There is an excitement,’’ Hoiberg said. “You have players coming back into the fold, and [we had] Bobby and Kris in the non-contact portion of our practice [Tuesday], and hopefully they keep progressing similar to the way Lauri has.
“It’s exciting to get Lauri back. I think everybody feels that.’’
“WE’RE GOING DAY BY DAY. [TUESDAY WAS] THE FIRST REAL PRACTICE FOR ME. WE’LL SEE HOW [THE ELBOW] REACTS TO THAT. HOPEFULLY, [I’LL BE BACK] SOON.”
LAURI MARKKANEN, Bulls big man, when asked about when he’ll make his season debut