After meeting with specialists in Los Angeles, the Chicago Bulls' Mike Dunleavy is expected to need four-to-six weeks of additional rehabilitation on his back before he can be cleared to return for on-court work, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Mike Dunleavy (Getty Images) More

Dunleavy, a 6-foot-9 wing player, will undergo a re-evaluation at the end of the four-to-six week stretch to determine his fitness to return to basketball activities, sources said.

Dunleavy, who has yet to play this season, underwent lower back microdiscectomy surgery 2½ months ago and suffered a recent setback in his push to return to the Bulls' lineup. It is possible the recurrence of Dunleavy's injury had been because he had pushed too hard, too soon in his recovery process.

For the Bulls, Dunleavy's absence has been a significant blow to the team's chances to construct a viable contender to upend the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Dunleavy had been an integral part of the Bulls' success last season, averaging 10.9 points, four rebounds and 2.6 assists in the Bulls' 12 postseason games.

Dunleavy has averaged 11.7 points in 13 NBA seasons.

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