Mike Dunleavy Injury: Updates on Bulls Star's Recovery from Back Surgery

Chicago Bulls small forward Mike Dunleavy has been recovering from back surgery, but it appears he'll need more time to be ready to return.

Continue for updates. 

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Dunleavy Will Need Another 4-6 Weeks To Recover

Thursday, Dec. 3

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported Dunleavy will be reevaluated at the end of the recovery period to determine if he's ready to return for the Bulls. 

Last season, Dunleavy missed 19 games over portions of January and February due to an ankle injury. 

And while Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol are all rightly at the center of attention for the Bulls, Dunleavy has emerged as a focal point of the team's scheme over the past few seasons. 

During the 2014-15 season, Chicago was 3.9 points better per 100 possessions with Dunleavy on the floor, per NBA.com. Over that stretch, Dunleavy shot 39.6 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 46.9 percent on pull-up triples. 

Chicago has other capable spot-up shooters in Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott, but the 35-year-old is still the team's most potent threat from beyond the arc. Should he miss more time, the Bulls will be hard-pressed to fill his role as a legitimate three-and-D weapon. 

All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.