Bulls forward Noa Essengue has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Wizards with a head issue, a step down from day-to-day. The injury report lists Oct. 26 as his expected return.
What happened
Noa Essengue's status moved from day-to-day to out on the injury report posted Saturday at 6:33 PM ET. The injury is listed as a head issue. Earlier Saturday he was listed as day-to-day with the same designation. The report's comment says he "has been downgraded to questionable for Saturday's game against the Wizards," but the status line reads Out, and that is the status that stands. The report gives an expected return of Oct. 26. No further detail on the injury has been announced. The Bulls tip off against Washington at 8:00 PM ET, about ninety minutes after the report.
What it means for the Bulls
Chicago is 1-1 and sits seventh, riding a one-game winning streak. Essengue, a 19-year-old forward, has played in both games this season. He is averaging 13.4 minutes, 2.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists. The Bulls have not yet played a game without him, so there is no split to compare. Caleb Wilson (32.9 minutes, 18.5 points), Norman Powell (27.4, 20.0) and Leonard Miller (24.8, 11.5) lead the rotation in minutes, followed by Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Matas Buzelis and Tre Jones. Patrick Williams (groin) and Nic Claxton (hamstring) are also out against the Wizards.
What to watch
The next injury report should show whether Essengue's status changes ahead of Chicago's following game. The report lists Oct. 26 as his expected return, though no other timeline has been announced. Because the injury is to the head, the update will depend on how he progresses. Watch also for any change in the status of Williams and Claxton, who are both out Saturday. The Bulls' schedule after the Wizards game has not been laid out here.
Is Noa Essengue playing vs the Wizards?
No. Essengue is listed as out for Saturday's game against the Wizards, which starts at 8:00 PM ET. He had been day-to-day earlier in the day.
When will Noa Essengue be back?
The injury report lists an expected return of Oct. 26. The Bulls have not announced anything beyond that date or given further detail on the head injury.