Bulls Questioning Deng?

Could the relationship between the Bulls and forward Luol Deng be souring less than one year after the team awarded the former lottery pick with a massive, $71 million contract?  Some reports are saying that the Bulls may be displeased with Deng’s treatment of his recent injury.  Deng left the Bulls’ game on Saturday with an injury that was originally feared to be a stress fracture of his right tibia.  After tests revealed no stress fracture or a break of any kind, Deng was set to suit up for the Bulls’ matchup with Charlotte on Tuesday.  Deng experienced pain during the team’s pregame shootaround, though, and sought a second opinion that apparently again raised the issue of a stress fracture in his leg.

It appears that the team is sticking to the original diagnosis.  “All of the information to date points to some mild inflammation along [Deng’s] tibia, with a small irregularity within the cortical bone, with no obvious break in the inner or outer layer of bone,” said a press release issued by the Bulls this week. “He has been restricted from high-level activity since [Saturday].  At this point, he will undergo ‘active rest,’ meaning that he will be encouraged to challenge himself physically, and if symptoms remain minimal, he will be allowed an expeditious return to play.”  There is talk of Deng undergoing an MRI on his spine next.

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