Caleb Wilson to Miss Four to Six Weeks After Hand Surgery

Wilson will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair the fracture. The rookie scored 15 points in 15 minutes before leaving Wednesday’s game in the third quarter. The Bulls ruled him out for the rest of the night with a right-hand injury.

The injury happened after halftime at Chicago’s United Center as Wilson defended Victor Wembanyama. He soon grabbed his hand, did not attempt to defend a Spurs layup and left the court with team trainers. Wilson had entered the game listed as questionable with hip soreness, but was cleared to play after warm-ups.

The recovery estimate could keep Wilson out for 13 to 20 games. The Bulls may reassess him after three weeks, with a return potentially coming in late December. Wilson also had hand injuries cut short his college season at North Carolina: he broke his left hand in February, then fractured his right thumb while working back toward playing. That injury required surgery.

His absence leaves Chicago without a key contributor at both ends of the floor. Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, Leonard Miller and Patrick Williams are among the players who could fill the power-forward role, while Buzelis may take on more offensive opportunities. Josh Giddey and Buzelis are also expected to shoulder more of the offense during Wilson’s recovery.