Lauri Markkanen Suffers Ankle Injury vs. Spurs, Ruled Out for Remainder of Game

The Chicago Bulls announced rookie forward Lauri Markkanen will not return to Saturday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs after suffering a sprained ankle in the first half on Saturday.

Markkanen is off to a hot start in his rookie campaign, averaging 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 three-pointers per game heading into the game.

The Bulls acquired the draft rights to Markkanen as part of the Jimmy Butler trade in June, with the Minnesota Timberwolves making the pick on Chicago's behalf. Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal wasn't a fan of the selection, giving it a "C" grade on draft night.

Markkanen played one season with the Arizona Wildcats. He averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a game and shot 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked him as the second-best shooter in the 2017 draft class.

Chicago signaled a major rebuilding plan with the Butler trade, so the team isn't going anywhere in 2017-18 with or without Markkanen. Still, the rookie has been a bright spot for Chicago, which will be hoping the injury isn't a serious one.