LOS ANGELES — Bulls rookie forward Lauri Markkanen now is a dad. Starting Sunday, he also will get back to being a basketball player.
Coach Fred Hoiberg said Markkanen, who has been away from the team for several days for the birth of his son, will rejoin the Bulls on Sunday in Sacramento, California, and will be in the starting lineup when they face the Kings on Monday.
‘‘He’s ready to get back with the team,’’ Hoiberg said Saturday. ‘‘He’s been off for almost a week now, and he’s been getting workouts in back at the Advocate Center. Just to get him back with the group and to get a couple of days with the team . . . obviously, he’s ready for it. He’s excited to get back and get back with the group.’’
Markkanen missed the first two games of the Bulls’ three-city road trip. The Bulls have five games left before Markkanen will take part in the Rising Stars game and the skills competition at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
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The news wasn’t as good for second-year guard Kris Dunn, who has been in the concussion protocol since landing on his face on a fall during a game Jan. 17. He was making progress in the early stages of the protocol before an illness set him back.
Dunn has been ruled out for the rest of the trip, and even if he feels 100 percent when the Bulls return home for four consecutive games before the All-Star break, he still has to get through the rest of the protocol and get some practice time in.
‘‘He did come down with a little bit of an illness, which obviously affected him,’’ Hoiberg said. ‘‘He’s still in the concussion protocol. As he continues to feel better, hopefully he can start crossing off the steps to get out of it. Then he’ll have to have a couple of practices before he’s cleared. So he’s still a little ways away from getting back with us.’’
The new guys
Guard Jameer Nelson and center Omer Asik were with the Bulls for the game against the Clippers, but they couldn’t dress or address the media because they still hadn’t passed their physicals.
Asik likely will dress for the game against the Kings, but Nelson’s status is still up in the air.
The Bulls traded forward Nikola Mirotic to the Pelicans on Thursday for Asik, Nelson, swingman Tony Allen and a protected first-round draft pick.
Allen has yet to join the Bulls, and vice president John Paxson still might be looking to trade him and Nelson in another deal.
‘‘Whatever we decide to do with these players, we’re going to expect them to come in and be professional,’’ Paxson said. ‘‘Playing time will not be a premium for them, given our direction.’’
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Email: jcowley@suntimes.com
