Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson needs hand surgery, expected to miss 4-6 weeks

The Bulls’ difficult start has taken another hit.

Rookie forward Caleb Wilson will undergo surgery Thursday for a fractured right hand, the team announced, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.

The No. 4 overall pick is expected to miss four to six weeks, a timeline first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. Johnson reported that Wilson will likely be reevaluated in approximately three weeks.

Wilson suffered the injury during the third quarter of Wednesday’s 124-119 loss to the Spurs while attempting to knock the ball away from Victor Wembanyama. His hand appeared to strike Wembanyama’s elbow.

The injury interrupts a productive start for the 20-year-old, who has averaged 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 steals through 10 games. He is shooting 42% from the field and playing 30.8 minutes per game.

It also marks Wilson’s third significant hand injury in roughly nine months, as Rory Maher of Hoops Rumors detailed. He broke a bone in his left hand at North Carolina in February, then fractured his right thumb while preparing to return. The thumb injury required surgery and ended his lone college season.

Noa Essengue, Patrick Williams and Leonard Miller are among the candidates for additional minutes during Wilson’s absence. Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey could also take on more of the scoring responsibility.

The Bulls are 1-9. Wilson had provided one of their more encouraging developments, and they now face several weeks without him.