Isaac Okoro Cleared for Bulls Opener, Saving Chicago From Playing Traffic Cones on Defense
Underdog NBA reported that Okoro is listed as available to play Wednesday.
The Chicago Bulls are officially getting their primary perimeter annoyance back on the floor. Isaac Okoro has been cleared to play in Wednesday's season opener against the Toronto Raptors after spending the preseason babying a nagging knee issue.
Underdog NBA confirmed the availability, which is massive news for anyone trying to figure out who exactly is going to play minutes for Chicago right now. With Nic Claxton already ruled out due to a hamstring problem and Dailyn Swain dealing with an illness, the Bulls' rotation was starting to look like a summer league invite list.
Okoro is stepping right into a heavy workload by pure necessity. Last season, his first full campaign in Chicago after the Lonzo Ball trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he logged 26.9 minutes a night and chipped in 9.3 points on 46 percent shooting.
That stat line might not win you your fantasy league, but Okoro’s real value is making the opposing team's best guard miserable for two and a half hours. Having him available means the Bulls do not have to rely on traffic cones to stop dribble penetration.
For the sickos staring at the prop markets, Okoro’s return completely shifts the defensive matchups for Toronto. If you were banking on Raptors guards getting a free runway to the rim, you might want to recalculate now that Chicago has its premier stopper off the injury report.
The Bulls will likely monitor his minutes early on, but the lack of healthy bodies dictates he sees the floor plenty. Expect Okoro to be thrown right into the fire Wednesday night as Chicago tries to survive opening week with a skeleton crew.