Chicago Bulls: 3 biggest disappointments from the 2018-19 NBA season

2. Injury bug bites Bulls once again

During the first year of Chicago’s rebuild, there were several players who were in and out of the rotation due to injuries. Zach LaVine suited up just 24 times last year following an ACL injury that kept him away from the court for 11 months.

Kris Dunn played in just 46 games due to an assortment of injuries. This includes a concussion he sustained in late January of 2018 that sidelined him for 11 straight games. Even more to the point, the trio of players the Bulls acquired in the Jimmy Butler trade in June 2017 played a total of just 255 minutes on the court together last season.

With that in mind, the Bulls were leaning on this core group to take the next step both individually and collectively this season. Once again, though, injuries took a major toll on this team. Markkanen — who was going to begin the season with a more featured role in the offense — sustained an elbow injury in training camp.

As a result, he sat out 23 games and the Bulls produced just five wins through their first 24 contests. Denzel Valentine had to forego his third NBA season after reconstructive ankle surgery.

Former Bull Bobby Portis missed 30 games due to ankle and knee injuries. Dunn appeared in just one game until mid-December and missed the last eight games of the season. Zach LaVine sat out the last 10 games, while Otto Porter Jr. missed the last 11 games.

Overall, Bulls players missed a combined total of 290 games due to injuries or illness. Don’t get me wrong, the Bulls were never going to challenge the top-tier teams in the conference for a spot in the playoff race, but it’s more than fair to say that injuries prevented this team from playing at its full potential yet again.