Nikola Vucevic available to play Monday vs. Raptors despite illness [UPDATE]

Update, CHI-TOR — Vucevic is available to play in Monday’s game vs. the Raptors despite battling an illness.

Chicago Bulls C Nikola Vucevic is questionable to play in Monday’s game vs. the Toronto Raptors due to an illness. The team doesn’t specify the type of illness Vucevic is dealing with on the injury report for 10:30 a.m. ET on Monday. Chances are this isn’t Covid-19 related but we’ll see what happens.

Fantasy basketball impact

The Bulls have started the season 3-0 with two blowout wins over the Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans. Vuce’s scoring average is down to start the season at 13.3 points per game, but that’s mostly because of all the talent Chicago added in the offseason. Vucevic is still averaging 12.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and almost 2.0 steals and blocks per game. He’s been a solid fantasy asset, but is lacking the ceiling we expected without the scoring bump.

We could see the Bulls debut of Tony Bradley in Game 4 vs. the Raptors. Coach Billy Donovan hasn’t felt the need to go big and play Bradley along with Vuce and/or Patrick Williams. So Chicago could opt away from small ball against the Raptors, who have some size. Alex Caruso, Troy Brown Jr., Javonte Green and Ayo Dosunmu figure to get the most run off the bench, which would mean Donovan wants to play small.

Patrick Williams gets a nice boost in potential rebounding numbers with Vucevic sidelined. The same can be said for Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. Williams could see time as a small ball center if that’s the route Billy D goes. We’ll see what the Bulls say throughout the day. Of course this is all dependent on Vucevic being held out, which may not be the case.