Jimmy Butler (thumb) will miss 2-4 weeks as he continues to recover from a sprained thumb, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Butler (thumb) will miss 2-4 weeks as he continues to recover from a sprained thumb, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Analysis:

This is surprising news given the fact that Butler was considered a game-time call for Wednesday's opener against the Knicks. The thumb apparently did not respond like he or the Bulls' medical staff expected, and the swingman will miss at least another two weeks. His absence opens up more minutes for veteran Kirk Hinrich, and Doug McDermott or Nikola Mirotic could also see a slight bump in value over the next handful of games.