Chicago Bulls DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball made his long-awaited return to NBA action on Wednesday, logging 15 minutes in a 125-123 preseason win over Minnesota. Ball came off the bench and played well, posting 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting. He hit a pair of threes with four attempts and had one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block to remind everybody of his versatility. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said after the game that Ball "looked great" and moved "really, really well." Ball's return to the court is an exceptional story, and it's great to see that he's fully capable of still making an impact on this level. However, fantasy managers should keep in mind that Ball has returned to action on a 16-minute restriction and won't play in back-to-backs.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (groin) remained sidelined for Monday's preseason contest against Milwaukee. White scored a game-high 21 points in Chicago's preseason opener against Cleveland on Oct. 8 but has missed practice time and two games since then. His injury has been described as groin tightness, which doesn't sound too serious, and there's still every chance White suits up on opening night against New Orleans next Wednesday. There are two more preseason games scheduled for the Bulls, starting with Wednesday's clash versus Minnesota, where Lonzo Ball (knee) is expected to make his long-awaited comeback.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) has missed the last two and a half seasons due to multiple surgeries on his left knee, which rendered him unable to climb stairs, let alone play basketball for a while. According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, the team and Ball are targeting Wednesday's preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as his first game back. His minutes will likely be monitored, and he'll be eased back into the rotation as the season goes on since this will be his first game since January of 2022.

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (shoulder) has been ruled out for the upcoming preseason contest against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Huerter continues to work his way back from a season-ending shoulder injury. The good news is that he was cleared for full-contact activity on Friday. However, the Kings are going to continue easing him back into action. It's unclear if Huerter is going to play at all during the preseason. The organization is hopeful he'll be ready for Opening Night. Otherwise, Keon Ellis figures to start at shooting guard, which would give him increased fantasy value. When healthy, Huerter appears to be a better fantasy option than Ellis due to his ability to shoot from distance.

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (shoulder) was cleared for full-contact work. The 26-year-old had the best season of his career in 2022-23, his first in Sacramento, averaging 15.2 points and shooting 40.2% from deep. However, he averaged only 10.2 points in 2023-24 and sustained a season-ending shoulder injury, resulting in a procedure in April. Huerter still has a chance of overtaking Keon Ellis for the starting job at the two spot. Still, it will be tough for him to be a consistent fantasy producer, regardless of his role, considering the Kings have De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis as the primary scoring options. At any rate, Huerter has a few more hurdles to clear, although he should be ready to play soon.