Bulls' guard Kirk Hinrich has confirmed coach Vinny Del Negro's disclosure that he is two to three weeks away from returning from right thumb surgery.

"That's what we're hoping for," Hinrich said. "So far I'm ahead of schedule. It just keeps getting stronger. I've been able to handle the ball and shoot. It's just a matter of picking the right time to let me start shooting around and full contact and stuff like that."

If Hinrich were to return in mid-January, he would far surpass Chicago's original prognosis of mid-February.