DeMar DeRozan finally clears health and safety protocols

Chicago Bulls G/F DeMar DeRozan has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols and can return to the lineup, the team announced Friday. The Bulls next game is Sunday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. Chicago hasn’t played all week due to players being placed on the COVID-19 list. The past two games were postponed because the team didn’t have enough players to field a competitive lineup.

Both Coby White and Javonte Green were cleared of COVID protocols and are able to return on Sunday after missing the past few weeks. Aside from them, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu, Troy Brown Jr., Zach LaVine and Alize Johnson are among players still in protocols. With Green, DeRozan and White back, the Bulls should have a competitive lineup and plenty of players for the rotation.

So the Bulls starting lineup should look something like this on Sunday pending more lineup moves:

Lonzo Ball
Alex Caruso
DeMar DeRozan
Javonte Green
Nikola Vucevic

Coby White
Tony Bradley
Alfonzo McKinnie
Tyler Cook

The starting five plus White and Bradley isn’t a bad 7-man rotation. The Bulls should be able to get back on track soon once LaVine and the rest of the bunch are cleared. Chicago is 17-10 and has fallen behind a bit in the East while not being able to play. The Bulls are 2.5 games out of first place in the conference and are behind the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.