Well, the facial healing was 4-6 weeks, but they didn't mention that he needed 2 weeks to deal with the concussion before they could even move onto the next phase. So it may end up being 8 weeks.

That said, he's working out, getting shots up, and now he just has to wait until the bones in his face set before taking contact.

If you've held on this long, just keep holding. We're probably past the half way point.

And my BEST GUESS is that the Bulls front office is going to work on convincing Niko to just come back and play, but we'll see.

I'm no doctor, but I don't think the bones in his face would wait to start healing until the NBA cleared him out of the concussion program. It was supposed to be the surgery that had to wait until after the concussion symptoms were gone.

Seems like it'll be hard for him to come back and play if one of his teammates put him in hospital and the others appeared to side with Punchy Portis for whatever reason. I don't think I'd be in a rush to return to that dynamic.

I think that’s what they’re trying to do. Feels like they’re hoping that if they use a softly softly approach they put them both into the team.

Do you think they’re looking to push portis’ stock so they get Moreno from a trade? Or will mirotic look to move?

It is odd that he took the non surgery option but is still out longer than they claimed though.

Think the bulls haven’t handled this well. Regardless of whether mirotic started the situation it doesn’t look good that they’re appearing to back a bench player who’s assaulted a starter and suffered little consequence from it.

If he had surgery he’d be back sooner as the bones would be fixed/stabilized. The non surgical healing won’t take contact as well. I think they’re in no rush as well trying either smooth it or work on trade.