(670 The Score) The Bulls will be without six players as they finish their preseason slate with road games against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday and Friday.
Guard Tomas Satoransky, guard Devon Dotson, guard Adam Mokoka, wing Garrett Temple, wing Denzel Valentine and power forward Thad Young won’t travel with the team.
Satoransky, Dotson and Mokoka were listed as “not with team” on the Bulls’ injury report Tuesday, a sign that they’re in the NBA’s protocol to address COVID-19 concerns. Being in such a protocol doesn’t mean a player necessarily has tested positive for the virus. That may be the case, or he could be sidelined while awaiting further clarity after being deemed a close contact of someone who tested positive.
Satoransky, Dotson and Mokoka were absent in the Bulls’ win against the Rockets on Sunday night. So too was center Luke Kornet, but he’s set to travel with the team after being in the protocol process Sunday.
Temple is listed as “self isolating” as he continues to recover after testing positive for COVID-19 in late November. He and big man Noah Vonleh – who had a contract that served as a training camp tryout but who will be waived – are the two Bulls publicly known to have tested positive.
Valentine (left hamstring) and Young (lower leg infection) are out with injuries.
“It’s not even just us, I think it’s every team,” coach Billy Donovan said. “If you look at the NFL and college, we’re all dealing with different situations, different circumstances. So you know, you got to be able to deal with the uncertainty, deal with the confusion, deal with guys being in different roles, having to do different things and you have to try to make the most of it.”
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.