Nikola Mirotic addressed the media as he nears return from injuries sustained from his in-practice fight with Bobby Portis.

Mirotic said he accepts the apology of Portis. Mirotic had previously requested the Bulls either trade him or Portis.

"I've been playing this game nine years professionally," said Mirotic. "I was always a good teammate, always professional with everybody. I'm going to continue to do that. If I'm here, it's because I want to support the team. He's a part of the team. I'm going to support him too"

While Mirotic is ready to move on, he isn't completely forgetting about the incident.

“I just know that right now the only goal – Bulls goal and my goal – is to make me get back with the team and practice together and get my strength back and as soon as I can, play with the team,’’ Mirotic said.

Nikola Mirotic continues to move closer to a return but he has yet to regain communication with Bobby Portis.

Mirotic suffered a concussion and two broken bones in his face during an in-practice fight with Portis in October.

"Niko had a really good week of workouts," said Fred Hoiberg. "He's continuing to ramp up his activity. He had good strength workouts and he's increasing his workload on the floor, so we're hoping to get him back with the team shortly."

Hoiberg also said Mirotic has been increasing his communication with his teammates.

"Guys have been good," Hoiberg said. "Niko's been in the building with our team; guys have been in there with him. He's still working on his own as he continues along the rehab process, but things have been going well from that standpoint."

Mirotic has yet to retract his request that the Bulls either trade him or Portis. The Bulls hope that Mirotic and Portis will be able to move past the altercation.

Zach LaVine has been cleared for contact by the surgeon who repaired the torn ACL in his left knee in February.

The Chicago Bulls aren't sure when LaVine will return to game action but he's targeting mid- to late December.

“As long as I’m progressing and doing what I need to do on the court, this thing can go fast and I can be out there playing with the guys,” LaVine told reporters in Los Angeles.

The Bulls will bring LaVine along gradually over the next few weeks.

“It feels good mentally to be cleared,” LaVine told reporters. “My jumping and athleticism are good. (Bulls) training staff told (ElAttrache) that.

“All my strength numbers are there. We reiterated how I progressed (from a) muscular (standpoint). Physically, I’m more than capable (of) playing.”

“When you see him playing without hesitation, that will be an indication he’s ready,” Fred Hoiberg told reporters. “Just to watch him move and run gets you excited. You can do a lot of things with that athleticism.”

The NBA All-Star Game will return to Chicago in 2020.

The All-Star Game was last held in Chicago in 1988 when Michael Jordan was named MVP and also won the Slam Dunk Contest.

United Center hasn't hosted an All-Star Game since it replaced Chicago Stadium.

Bobby Portis returned from his eight-game suspension on Tuesday but his future with the Chicago Bulls remains uncertain. Portis and Nikola Mirotic had a fight at practice that left Mirotic with a concussion and facial fracture. 

"No, I haven't talked to Niko," Portis said before the game.

In his first public comments after the fight last month, Portis said he texted and called Mirotic but did not hear back from him. On Tuesday, Portis noted that he has not tried to reach out to Mirotic since.

"I just let bygones be bygones with that," Portis said before the game. "I can't control that. Only thing I can control is myself at this point. I'm not worried about who goes, who stays. Only thing I'm worried about is coming in trying to play at the highest level possible. I'm living my dream right now. This is my dream. I've always wanted to play in the NBA. I'm here, and that's all I want to do at this point."

Portis didn't seem concerned with recent reports that Mirotic's representatives have made it clear to the Bulls that Mirotic isn't interested in sharing the floor with Portis again in Chicago.

"I'm just here to play basketball," Portis said before Tuesday's game. "I can't control who goes. I go, he goes, I don't control that. Only thing I can control is me coming in to work every day, working hard, being the same kid that I've always been. If I can continue to do that, then that's all I can really control."

David Nwaba will be out two to four weeks with a severe sprain of his right ankle.

Nwaba is wearing a walking boot after initially being on crutches.

"He sprained it pretty good," Fred Hoiberg said.

Bobby Portis will come off his eight-game suspension for Tuesday's game against the Toronto Raptors.

Portis was suspended for punching Nikola Mirotic during practice on Oc. 17th.

"[Portis has] been practicing, and that will all be discussed in the next couple days, exactly what we're going to do in the Toronto game," Fred Hoiberg said Saturday. "The biggest thing is try to go out there with the guys that we've had available and put them in a position where they're competing and giving ourselves a chance to win. And for the most part, with the exception of the Oklahoma City game, we've done that. We'll get that figured out in the next few days."

The Bulls are not yet sure how they will handle the situation between Portis and Mirotic, once Mirotic is physically cleared to return.

"I think he's handled it as well as he could have," Robin Lopez said of Portis. "I don't know exactly what's going to happen going forward with rotations or anything, but I know he's mentally prepared for it, and we're excited to have him back."

Zach LaVine has agreed upon a four-year, $35 million endorsement deal with Adidas.

LaVine is recovering from a torn ACL and hasn't played since his trade to the Chicago Bulls.

"I was looking for a partner that would grow with me as my career continues to unfold," LaVine said to ESPN. "Adidas convinced me that I have a chance to legitimately become a face of the brand."

Adidas currently features James Harden, Damian Lillard, Derrick Rose, Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins.

The structure of LaVine's deal will reward him if he breaks out as an All-Star level player.

"It's a different contract than anything we've done recently," a brand source said.

The deal continues Adidas' shift in its strategy of signing NBA players. 

LaVine said he was drawn to Adidas for its "brand presence already in Chicago."