"Some days when Ball works out, everything seems fine. Others, discomfort flares again" - Chicago Bulls insider gives the latest on guard's recovery from knee injury
Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls hit the ground running during the 2021-22 NBA season. After an impressive offseason last year, the Bulls wasted no time cementing themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference.
That was until a string of injuries presented some serious obstacles for the organization. One of the most notable injuries was to their newly signed free agent Lonzo Ball.
The 2017 second overall pick suffered a serious knee injury in January. After working hard to return, Ball began experiencing setbacks in his recovery. The team announced that he would be out for the remainder of the season on April 6.
He was limited to playing in just 35 games with the Bulls in 2021-22. The talented guard has still not been cleared to return to the court and there's no expected timeline for his recovery.
Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported on Ball's status for the upcoming season.
According to Johnson, Ball has some days where "everything seems fine." Other days, the discomfort in his knee returns. It has become increasingly difficult for the Bulls' medical staff to figure out a recovery plan that works.
Bulls insider touches on Lonzo Ball’s injured knee
"Some days when Ball works out, everything seems fine. Others, discomfort flares again." ahnfiredigital.com/nba/chicago-bu…
"They don’t know when he’ll be back. Some days when Ball works out, everything seems fine. Others, discomfort flares again," he wrote.
Chicago Bulls hope to get Lonzo Ball back at full health
It didn't take long last season for the Chicago Bulls to showcase just how impressive they can be on the court. Chicago was sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference standings after the first couple of months. Then the injuries piled up. The Bulls would go on to finish sixth in the Conference with an overall record of 46-36.
If Ball is able to return to full health, the Bulls will have the firepower to contend in the East. In just 35 games last season, Lonzo averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from the field.
Alex Caruso reflects on how deadly of a duo him and Lonzo Ball were before injuries
“Defensively, me and him went like top 5-10 guards in the league, on ball defense.” ahnfiredigital.com/nba/chicago-bu…
Chicago has built an impressive roster with the likes of Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine filling out the backcourt.
With Nikola Vucevic manning the paint down low and the return of forward Patrick Williams, the Bulls will have the pieces to make some noise this season. They also added a couple of solid depth pieces to their backcourt this summer in Goran Dragic and Dalen Terry.
The Bulls kick off their 2022-23 season against the Miami Heat on October 19.