"He's not going to be back"- Chicago Bulls VP doesn't fancy Lonzo Ball playing next season
Chicago Bulls' Lonzo Ball has been facing serious issues with his knee over the last few seasons. He has had three surgeries and after the third one, it was reported by Dan Bernstein of WSCR that:
"The Chicago Bulls privately don't think that it's likely Lonzo Ball will ever play again."
Ball's last NBA game came on January 14, 2022. He underwent surgery on January 20 after being diagnosed with a small meniscus tear and bone bruise. On Thursday, June 22, the Chicago Bulls Vice President Arturas Karnisovas said that Ball was “recovering nicely” after moving off crutches in May. However, Karnisovas also voiced that he does not anticipate the 25-year-old to play during the 2023-24 season.
“Going into the offseason, our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season and he’s going to continue on his recovery. If he comes back, it would be great but we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s not going to be back... The hope eventually is that you’re going to see him on the basketball court."
Whether Ball will ever be able to return seems unclear at the moment. But, throughout NBA history, no player who has undergone a cartilage transplant has been able to play again. The news creates doubt regarding Ball's future. Despite his uncertain status and his pricey $80 million contract, the Bulls are not yet waiving him.
Lonzo Ball is still young at 25 and could hopefully make a comeback. Prior to his injury, he was averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals, and 3.1 made threes on 42.3% shooting per game in that season. If Ball can recover, he would still be a valuable piece to any franchise.
Who did the Chicago Bulls pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?
Going into the 2023 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls did not have any picks. In fact, they had to forfeit one pick due to tampering issues involving Lonzo Ball. The Bulls were in contact with Ball, involving a sign-and-trade deal that was against the rules of the NBA.
However, the Bulls traded their way into the 2023 NBA Draft. They acquired the 34th pick. The Bulls gave up a future second-round pick in the deal.
Chicago bound!
@ju1ianphillips ready to run with the Bulls
#NBADraft https://t.co/KN1mnWgsy9
With the 34th pick in the NBA Draft, the Bulls picked Tennessee forward Julian Phillips. Phillips is a defensive-minded player who has great hustle and on-ball defense. At 6-foot-7-inches, he could help the Bulls' rotation. As a freshman, Phillips averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 0.6 steals in 24.1 minutes per game. Ultimately, he would need to develop a more well-rounded game in order to increase his impact on the court.