Markkanen joins Bulls practice, but return to game action probably a week away
Lauri Markkanen has taken some bold steps on social media recently.
On Monday, he released a video to advocate saving the environment and recognizing climate change, produced with Finland-based energy company Neste. The video featured Markkanen at home in Finland, walking the streets of Chicago and holding his young son.
Markkanen followed that with a tweet announcing he would stop consuming red meat to minimize his carbon footprint.
A few weeks ago, he made a joke after President Donald Trump talked about raking forest floors to prevent wildfires and praising Finland for doing a good job of forestry management. Markkanen posted a photo of himself holding a garden rake with the caption, "Anyone need their floors raked?"
Tuesday at the Advocate Center, it was back to business for Markkanen, as he joined full practice for the first time since suffering a right elbow sprain in practice Sept. 27. He has not played in a game yet this season.
Markkanen's specialty is long-range shooting and he said there are no issues in that department.
"Not anymore. Couple weeks back, I couldn't shoot 3s. It was just short range," he said. "But it didn't feel normal then. So I kept doing it and got movement back. Day by day, it feels better.
"When I first started, I thought I was extending my arm like normal. But I kind of automatically cut it short a little bit so it wouldn't hurt. But now I've been getting to my normal shot. And it feels normal."
The obvious question is when will Markkanen be ready to play in a game, but there are no answers yet. Since Markkanen's legs are healthy, he's spent time conditioning, which could help him get back on the floor a little sooner.
"We're going to take it one day at a time. A lot of that will depend on how he's feeling," coach Fred Hoiberg said before Tuesday's practice at the Advocate Center. "But he's going to need at least a week as far as getting back, getting practices under his belt. This is not just going to be a one-day thing and then throw him out there."
The Bulls have four straight road games ahead, beginning Wednesday in Milwaukee. That's followed by a geographically questionable back-to-back this weekend in Detroit and Houston. The team will return home with two days off, then play at Indiana next Tuesday.
The Bulls dropped to 5-16 on the season with Monday's 1-point loss to San Antonio. It's been a rough road with Markkanen and Denzel Valentine not playing at all, Kris Dunn appearing in one game and Bobby Portis four due to injuries. Valentine had season-ending ankle surgery Tuesday, while Dunn and Portis joined noncontact portions of Tuesday's practice.
"Hopefully, I can help the team a lot," Markkanen said. "Just doing the basics - get the pace up, stuff like that. Trying my best. It's been tough (watching). But I've been trying to just learn as much as I can. You definitely learn more about what the team needs when you're out of the game."
Markkanen was noticeably more muscular when training camp began, saying he added 16 pounds since his rookie season.
"It's pretty much the same. I might've lost a couple pounds," he said. "It still feels a little weaker than my left one. But that's normal and we're working on it every day."
Maybe his elbow would have been stronger in the first place if he spent more time raking the forests in Finland growing up. Markkanen got a laugh out of that question.
"Like I said, movement gets it better," he said. "So maybe I have to start doing that too."
• Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls
Scouting report
Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Fiserv Forum
TV: WGN • Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Outlook: This is the second trip to Milwaukee in 12 days for the Bulls. When they visited Nov. 16, they jumped to a 22-point lead in the second quarter, then collapsed after halftime and lost 123-104. ... The Bucks (14-6) are still second in the East, but have gone just 7-6 since their 7-0 start and dropped a home game to Phoenix last Friday. ... Giannis Antetokounmpo's MVP campaign is still going strong. He's averaging 26.8 points, 13 rebounds and 5.9 assists. ... Guards Khris Middleton (19.0 ppg), Eric Bledsoe (15.4) and Malcolm Brogdon (14.7) round out the leading scorers. ... SF Ersan Ilyasova missed the past two games with right knee soreness. ... Even with the Nov. 16 loss, the Bulls are 13-4 in Milwaukee since the 2010-11 season.
Next: Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m. Friday at Little Caesars Arena
- Mike McGraw