There was going to be rust on the Zach Collins return.
There definitely was.
Masking his season debut in the first quarter of Friday’s game against the Pacers, Collins – who suffered a left wrist injury in the preseason that required surgery – checked in with 5:10 left, the Bulls up 19-12, and quickly saw that lead disappear. Not necessarily his fault, but on his watch.
And it wasn’t like Indiana shied away from the back-up center, as Isaiah Jackson quickly scored on a dunk and then scored again, drawing the and-one from Collins.
He did hit a three-pointer from the corner on his first five-plus minute stint, but it was obvious that his game conditioning and timing were both a work in progress. All to be expected.
However, considering the heavy workload starting center Nikola Vucevic has been dealing with, as well as reserve Jalen Smith (hamstring) still out, anything Collins could give was welcomed, especially with his minutes capped at 20.
“I think just another body with Jalen being out,” coach Billy Donovan said of Collins’ return. “(Rookie Lachlan Olbrich) has done a nice job coming up from Windy City, he has helped out some. We have played a little bit small with Patrick (Williams). Just some size (with Collins).
“I always think it’s challenging for a player like Zach who has been out so long. It’s his first game back and there’s only so much you can do with practice and those types of things. But having him back, his presence, is always a positive thing. Now how long it takes him to get back into the flow of things, we’ll see.”
Like more than a handful of Bulls players on the roster, it’s an important season for Collins because of his expiring contract.
Both he and Vucevic are unrestricted free agents this summer, and with no other true big men on the roster that have starting experience, could the front office look to move one of them, lock up one of them to an extension, or part ways with both and explore the market in July?
A lot will come down to how both play as well as where the team ends up in the standings.
Training room
It wasn’t like the body count in the Bulls training room improved heading into the weekend.
Besides Smith still sidelined, Ayo Dosunmu missed the game with a sprained right thumb, Kevin Huerter was still dealing with a strained adductor, Tre Jones had the bad ankle, and Isaac Okoro the back issue.
The glimmer of hope that Donovan and the Bulls were counting on?
After Sunday’s game with the Warriors, the team will be off until they play in Charlotte on Friday. That’s a lot of time to heal up and possibly even get some practices in.
“The schedule comes when it comes,” Donovan said. “Whether it’s travel or density of games, there are times it’s going to be challenging, and then there are times when it opens up a little bit but you just have to deal with it.
“Maybe that is a time for us to get healthier.”
White’s return
Coby White returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a left calf strain. They were being guarded with his minutes, but Donovan said it was a feel thing with White.
White missed the first 11 games of the regular season with a right calf strain that he suffered back in August.