The Chicago Bulls absorbed more difficult injury news on Saturday night, announcing that guard Jaden Ivey will miss at least two weeks with left knee soreness and big man Zach Collins will undergo season-ending toe surgery — another major setback for a roster already struggling to find continuity.

The announcement came just hours before Chicago hosted the league-leading Detroit Pistons, further magnifying the Bulls’ uphill battle as they continue navigating the most injury-ridden stretch of their season while attempting to stabilize their post–trade-deadline identity.

Ivey, 24, arrived in Chicago on February 3 as part of a three-team trade, joining a Bulls organization eager to unlock his explosive downhill style — the same athletic burst that made him one of Detroit’s most promising young pieces prior to multiple injuries.

The Bulls hoped he would rediscover the form he displayed before undergoing season-ending surgery for a broken left fibula in January 2025, followed by an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee that sidelined him for the first 15 games of the Pistons’ season.

In four games with Chicago, Ivey averaged 11.5 points, four assists, and 28.9 minutes, showing signs of comfort in Billy Donovan’s system but clearly missing the high-end explosiveness that once made him one of the quickest guards in the conference.

Before the trade, Ivey appeared in 33 games for Detroit this season, averaging 8.2 points, 1.6 assists, and 16.8 minutes, serving primarily as a rotational guard as he continued recovering from the long cascade of injuries that hampered his athletic rhythm.

Donovan said the Bulls’ medical staff cleared Ivey to handle increased minutes, and in his early appearances for Chicago, he played into the low 30s — a sign that the team believed he was physically prepared for the workload.

But Donovan noted that something seemed off even as Ivey took the floor, pointing out that the guard struggled to stop, start, and change direction with the explosiveness he displayed earlier in his career, an issue that grew more noticeable with each game.

“Certainly when he came here and started getting more minutes — his minutes were in the 30s — you could just see he wasn’t stopping, starting,” Donovan said. “He didn’t have that explosiveness that you saw when you watched him play.”

Following additional evaluation, the Bulls’ medical staff determined that Ivey needs time to rebuild strength in his left leg, leading to the team’s decision to shut him down for at least two weeks before a planned re-evaluation to determine next steps.

Donovan expressed optimism that a dedicated strengthening period could help Ivey regain the athletic traits that once defined his offensive identity, including his first-step burst, pick-and-roll pace, and ability to pressure the rim.

“I think there’s a feeling that if he can get some of the strength back, then he can get back to where he was athletically,” Donovan said, emphasizing that the focus now shifts to long-term recovery rather than short-term availability.

The Bulls also announced that Zach Collins will undergo season-ending surgery on his right toe, concluding a difficult and fragmented campaign for the veteran big man who played in just 10 games for Chicago this year.

Collins averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 18.4 minutes in limited action, providing size, touch, and activity when available, but his season was derailed by one injury after another — beginning with a broken bone in his hand that forced him to miss the first 21 games.

Shortly after returning, Collins suffered the toe injury in late December, attempting to play through discomfort before ultimately halting activity and hoping for a non-surgical solution that never materialized.

Donovan called the decision difficult yet necessary, acknowledging that Collins exhausted every option before opting for surgery, which the coaching staff and medical team considered the final resort after weeks of evaluation and attempted rehabilitation.

“I think it’s been really hard for him personally,” Donovan said. “I think he did everything he wanted to do. Surgery is always the last resort.”

The combined loss of Ivey and Collins places even more pressure on a Bulls roster already grappling with inconsistency, rotational uncertainty, and the steep learning curve that accompanies a team attempting to mesh new pieces midseason.

Chicago’s offense has struggled with turnovers, timing breakdowns, and scoring droughts, issues exacerbated by the absence of physical guards like Ivey who can collapse defenses, create paint touches, and relieve pressure from playmakers.

The frontcourt rotation also becomes thinner without Collins, leaving Donovan with fewer lineup combinations capable of providing rim protection, rebounding, and interior scoring — areas where the Bulls already lag behind top-tier opponents.

The injuries further complicate the evaluation process for a Bulls team navigating a transitional year following multiple trade-deadline moves, forcing Donovan to assess development, chemistry, and fit while managing unpredictable availability.

As Chicago’s record drops to 24–33, the Bulls must now balance competitiveness with long-term stability, leaning on healthy pieces while monitoring the recovery progress of both Ivey and Collins with a cautious, forward-thinking approach.

For Ivey, the next two weeks will be critical, offering a chance to regain the strength necessary to restore his signature athleticism — the trait that made him such an enticing acquisition when the Bulls reshaped their roster earlier in the month.

For Collins, the focus shifts to future recovery and the possibility of returning next season with improved health, hoping to put behind him one of the most frustrating injury stretches of his career.

As the Bulls prepare for the final stretch of February and beyond, these injuries highlight the difficult reality of rebuilding amid adversity — and the patience required to cultivate consistency in a season defined by unpredictable setbacks.