Bulls' Michael Carter-Williams Believes Return To Game Action Around Christmas Is 'Realistic'
By Cody Westerlund--
(CBS) Out since Oct. 31 with a bone chip in his left wrist, Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams believes a return to game action around Christmas Day is "realistic."
Carter-Williams had an appointment with a doctor Friday and said everything checked out well in his wrist, as he got a cast off. He's been doing basketball activities with his cast on lately and will now focus on more wrist-strengthening exercises. Carter-Williams hopes to return to the practice court sometime next week.
The Bulls play at the Spurs on Christmas Day, then host the Pacers on Dec. 26. Chicago also plays at Charlotte on Dec. 23.
"That's what I'm going for, that's what I'm hoping for," Carter-Williams said of a return to practice next week and game action shortly after. "It feels pretty good. Like I said, I still have to do some strengthening and things like that for this week. That's what I'm hoping for. Nothing is really guaranteed, but that's what I'm going for."
Carter-Williams will miss his 23rd straight game Friday night when the Bulls host the Bucks.
"It's tough," he said. "Obviously, I want to be out there, but I just go to sit back and learn."
Carter-Williams suffered the wrist injury and a bone bruise in his knee while taking a hard fall in a game on Oct. 31. Initially, he was most concerned about a ligament tear in the knee, but it's the wrist that has plagued him for longer. Carter-Williams called his knee 100 percent fine now.
Acquired in a trade with the Bucks in October that sent Tony Snell to Milwaukee, Carter-Williams was slotting into a reserve role as the first guard off the bench for the Bulls before his injury. He averaged 4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 15.0 minutes across the first three games of the season.
In other Bulls news Friday night, forward Nikoa Mirotic missed a film session and pregame walk-through. It was an unexcused absence and finable offense, coach Fred Hoiberg said. Mirotic forgot the team had the 4:45 p.m. gather, the Bulls PR staff said. He arrived around 5:15 p.m.
