Bulls take another hit to backcourt as Tre Jones is latest guard out

SALT LAKE CITY — All of a sudden, the Bulls’ glut of guards just might be coming in handy for coach Billy Donovan.

On the same night that Josh Giddey (ankle) returned and Coby White (calf) was able to make his season debut, Tre Jones was on the shelf with a sore left ankle.

Jones, who had started all 11 games, was averaging 13.3 points and leading the Bulls in steals (2.1 per game) entering Sunday.

“It’s probably going to be a little bit of time,” Donovan said.

“It’s a back-to-back, so it’s really hard to gauge how [Jones will] be Monday [in Denver]. It’s not something that’s long term.”

With White back in the mix, Donovan has seven guards he can lean on when at full strength.

Giddey, Kevin Huerter, White, Ayo Dosunmu and Jones are the main rotation players in the backcourt, but Donovan also has given minutes to Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter.

Of the seven, only Giddey and Jones are on guaranteed contracts beyond this season.

So that guard surplus could thin out quickly.

Rookie blues

Forward Noa Essengue was with the Bulls for the start of this western swing, and while there was almost no chance he’d play in the three games unless something went wrong, the organization believes it’s key for his development.

As far as his next possible G League stint, the Windy City Bulls play a home game Nov. 26.

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