Bulls guard Denzel Valentine will be out for rest of season

Bulls guard Denzel Valentine’s season ended before it even began.

The Bulls announced Wednesday that Valentine will miss the rest of this season.

Valentine underwent a left ankle stabilization surgery performed by Robert Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. He’s expected to return to full basketball activities in approximately six month, according to the Bulls.

Valentine suffered what was at first believed to have been a moderate left ankle sprain in practice on Sept. 25. After being re-evaluated a several weeks later, he was diagnosed with “ongoing [left] ankle instability.”

This season was supposed to be a defining one for Valentine, whom the Bulls drafted 14th overall in 2016. With several other key players — like Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn — battling injuries of their own, the Bulls could’ve used a player like Valentine to come off the bench. Last season, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.