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Remember those merry vibrations of Bulls Media Day, those where Executive Vice President John Paxson spoke of the depth of the team and perhaps the most crucial element of all?
"What's exciting is that we are in good health," said Paxson that day.
It was so Monday.
Friday offered a double dose of derailment. A few hours after the Bulls reported that Denzel Valentine would be reevaluated in one to two weeks after suffering a moderate sprain of the surgically repaired left ankle, the big news fell.
At 8:37 pm, the team issued a statement that an MRI examination revealed that Lauri Markkanen was suffering from a sprained high-grade lateral right elbow following a training injury on Thursday. The team estimated that the cornerstone of the franchise would be missing between six and eight weeks.
It was love at first sight for the Bulls, who were hoping that Markkanen would make a huge step into his second season after accumulating up to 240 pounds and limited his involvement in the Finnish national team.
Markannen averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a rookie last season after the Bulls acquired the seventh-choice rights in 2017 in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves.
"Lauri had such a great summer," Paxson said recently. "We are excited about the possibilities for him this season."
Markkanen could still have a great season. But it will start late. Given the estimated time frame, the sophomore striker could miss 12 to 19 regular season games. And then, he has to get back to his fitness.
The Bulls begin their pre-season program on Sunday against the Pelicans at United Center, and begin the regular season on Oct. 18 in Philadelphia.
In the short term, Markkanen's injury has a major impact on Fred Hoiberg's rotation. He could either start Bobby Portis – who was suddenly receiving additional ammunition for his contract extension talks – or bring Jabari Parker back to his more natural point of view at the forefront of power.
If Hoiberg chooses this last choice, it opens a small starting point of attack for Justin Holiday, Valentine or the choice of the first round, Chandler Hutchison.
"Everyone is looking for each other," said Hutchison about the atmosphere created by this competition. "There are a lot of veterinarians at the station I play. But that did not affect their way of communicating with me. They were great. They helped me a lot to learn. This is one of the major reasons why I am able to adapt quickly. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like I'm absorbing a lot. "
Markkanen's injury will also create more play time for the first-round pick, Wendell Carter Jr., who missed Friday's practice after falling to his left shoulder during Thursday's practice.
Notice a theme of bad luck here?
The Bulls know the rocky beginnings of their training camps. Coincidentally, Nikola Mirotic is in town on Sunday with the Pelicans for the preparatory game. A year ago, Portis hit Mirotic in the face during a training altercation, breaking two of Mirotic's facial bones and leading to an eight-game suspension imposed by the team on Portis.
Markkanen's injury is not a self-inflicted injury. But this still disturbs the momentum.
Valentine underwent an ankle surgery in May 2017 as a result of his rookie season during which he sprained his ankle twice.
"Denzel is a very important part of this team. That's a guy we used a lot in the second unit as a facilitator, "Hoiberg said. "When we went running (last December), he was gone for part of this stretch. He does the right thing and he can shoot and he has a good level of skill. And he knows where to go.
Just Monday, Markkanen expressed optimism for his new season.
"I feel fresh," he says then. "We play here every day. I go up and down on the court. But it's different from (the commitment of the Finnish national team). I was able to work on my body and be in good health. So I feel good.
"(An All-Star berth) is ultimately my goal. I do not know when it will happen. But I would like to define this goal as a personal goal for myself. But I'm not worried about All-Star right now. Go to work and hope to have more victories than 27 like last year. "
The Bulls' task of overshadowing last season's total wins has worsened.
Twitter @kcjhoop
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