Alex Caruso returns to practice without a splint on his wrist, but the Chicago Bulls guard is likely ‘a couple more weeks’ from playing

Alex Caruso returned to practice for the first time in nearly four weeks Monday, bringing hope for a healthier Chicago Bulls roster ahead of Monday night’s critical Eastern Conference battle against the Miami Heat.

Coach Billy Donovan said Caruso was limited during the morning shootaround by a lack of strength rather than pain. Caruso heavily favored his right wrist in a series of non-contact three-on-two drills, almost exclusively dribbling and passing with his left hand.

Caruso spent nearly four weeks in a splint, which immobilized his right wrist as it healed from a fracture caused by a brutal foul by the Milwaukee Bucks’ Grayson Allen in a Jan. 23 game.

“He’s got to get his strength back,” Donovan said. “He can’t really even pass with that hand. He doesn’t feel comfortable shooting it. It’s not pain. It’s just stiff and it’s weak.”

The first day back wasn’t particularly pretty. Caruso trapped a searing half-court pass from Zach LaVine to his chest with his left hand, then air-balled a shot with the same hand. He shouted at LaVine that the next shot would be better, then sent a second ball crunching off the side of the backboard.

But Caruso was visibly delighted to be back on the court with his teammates, bouncing through simple drills and laughing after every missed and made shot.

The practice ended with another joyful moment — a serenade of “Happy Birthday” by Ayo Dosunmu and Malcolm Hill as the team celebrated Caruso’s 28th birthday. The guard beamed throughout the song, hugging teammates while never letting go of the ball.

“The first stage is the fact that he could do something in terms of getting on the floor, running, cardiovascular, holding on to a bike, doing those things,” Donovan said. “And then you do that for a while and you get a little antsy and want to do a little bit more. He’s happy about that. He’s getting a chance to run up and down the floor.”

Although Caruso’s return to practice sparked excitement, that doesn’t mean he’ll be playing in games imminently. Donovan estimated Caruso will need “a couple more weeks” to regain strength and comfort in his wrist as well as clearance from team doctors.

Despite the extended absence, Donovan said conditioning isn’t a concern for Caruso, whom he described as a conscientious athlete in the weight room and in recovery. Whenever Caruso is cleared for contact, Donovan said he’ll be ready to re-integrate quickly.

“He’ll be in as good of shape you can be in for somebody that doesn’t have contact and hasn’t played,” Donovan said.

Throughout his injury, Caruso has continued to cut an important figure as a leader for the Bulls. Although he’s confined to the bench, Caruso spends most of the games on his feet — shouting encouragement, cheering big plays, even pointing to spots on the court for his teammates to spot up or cut off an opponent.

Dosunmu is a focus of this energy, spending timeouts huddled close to Caruso to receive guidance from the team’s defensive specialist. The rookie credits these in-game critiques for helping him shut down top scorers such as the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young.

“There’s a presence, there’s an energy and it’s all positive,” Donovan said. “There’s nothing negative about it. It’s all very, very positive, but he tries to point things out and tries to help guys as best he can.”

With Caruso on the court, this week’s trip gave the Bulls something they haven’t experienced in nearly two months — a complete locker room.

Lonzo Ball resumed traveling with the team for the first time since his meniscus tear in January. Patrick Williams joined Caruso in three-on-two drills as he continues to rehabilitate torn ligaments in his left wrist.

Ball continues to train entirely on the sidelines during practices, working on gradual mobility drills and straight-ahead running with no change of direction. Donovan said Ball will need to elevate the intensity of his sprints before he can take the next step toward returning to practice.

Williams faces the same hurdle as Caruso — regaining enough strength in his wrist to be cleared by team doctors for contact. This process took longer for Williams because of the severity of his surgery, but Donovan is hopeful the power forward will be available by the end of the season.

Caruso and Ball are slated to return by the end of March based on their original timelines. Williams also could return around that time. While official return dates haven’t been set, Donovan said the Bulls are eager to get a glimpse of their team at full capacity.

“I don’t know who’s closer than who,” Donovan said. “But I don’t think I’m like, ‘Wow, this guy is way ahead of schedule,’ and I certainly don’t think anybody’s behind right now. They’re all doing pretty well and we’re just happy we can get them on the court.”