Bulls' Mirotic out indefinitely after second surgery

After undergoing an appendectomy on Jan. 27, Nikola Mirotic remains in the hospital after going under the knife a second time.

After his initial procedure, a hematoma was discovered and removed, effectively pushing back the Chicago Bulls big man's potential recovery timeline which was originally believed to be after the All-Star break.

"He's on a liquid diet right now," Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said of the second-year player's prognosis. "He's in quite a bit of pain, but his spirits are OK. Hopefully he'll get out of the hospital soon and just get him back. As far as a timetable for Niko to get back on the floor, we just don't know yet."

After a successful 2014-15 campaign in which he was named to the All-Rookie First Team, the 24-year-old has struggled to perform with sustained levels of consistency. Although Mirotic's numbers are up slightly across most statistical categories, the introduction of Hoiberg's on-court schemes has provided the 6-foot-10 forward with a new set of challenges.

For now, the primary concern remains with Mirotic's health, as Hoiberg reiterates.

"Hopefully Niko will recover quickly from it, but you got to be careful any time you're dealing with surgery. Not just one, but two, you got to be a little bit careful," he said.