Chicago Bulls hoping to return to practice court in next few days after COVID stoppage

CHICAGO — Bulls coach Billy Donovan said he was hopeful that the team would be cleared by the NBA to resume activities in the next few days, giving the Bulls some practice time before they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

The Bulls have not gathered as a team since Monday morning, just before the league postponed their two games this week amid a COVID-19 outbreak that had landed 10 players in health and safety protocols.

The team hasn’t recorded any new cases of COVID-19 on the roster or coaching staff following the NBA’s decision to postpone Tuesday’s home game against the Detroit Pistons and Thursday’s road game against the Toronto Raptors.

Chicago’s practice facility has been largely dormant this week except for players shuffling in for daily COVID-19 testing or to complete rehab assignments.

“We haven’t been able to do anything at all,” Donovan said during a Zoom call with reporters on Thursday. “Right when [the games were postponed], the league came out with some protocols that we needed to follow.

“In terms of the activities of being able to come in here, get together as a team, work out as a team, do those kinds of things, we haven’t been able to do anything. … I’m hopeful the league will give us some time here, Friday and Saturday, to get the group back together that would be available to play on Sunday.”

Two players — Coby White and Javonte Green — have cleared protocols and have been in the team facility this week for individual workouts following their isolation period. Both should be eligible for Sunday’s game. DeMar DeRozan, Derrick Jones Jr. and Matt Thomas will have cleared their 10-day isolation period by Sunday, but Donovan said they would be day-to-day before returning to the court.

And Donovan confirmed that the players who tested positive most recently — such as Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu, Troy Brown Jr. and Alize Johnson — would all be out until after Christmas.

Players who test positive are required to miss at least 10…