What happened to Lonzo Ball? Knee injury to Chicago Bulls star explained, latest updates on status and return
Lonzo Ball is one of the most talented playmakers in the NBA. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-6 guard hasn't played a single game for the Chicago Bulls in the 2022-23 season.
Ball has been dealing with a left knee injury for a long time, but hasn't been able to recover from it. Due to this, the Bulls are expected to shut down 25-year-old for the remainder of the season, according to Shams Charania.
The talented guard has two more years left on his contract with the Bulls. He was traded to the team in the summer of 2021, but hasn't been able to stay healthy since then, appearing in only 35 games.
Lonzo Ball expected to be shutdown for the season
Since getting traded to the Bulls, the young playmaker has appeared in only 35 out of 141 regular-season games. He's been dealing with knee issues since Jan. 14, 2021, which is when he played his last game for the Bulls.
The five-year NBA veteran had surgery to repair his knee in the offseason. Unfortunately, the surgery wasn't enough to completely heal the playmaker as he hasn't been able to participate in basketball activities this season.
The Chicago Bulls are expected to shut down guard Lonzo Ball for the remainder of the season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Pain and discomfort have persisted in Ball’s left knee following two surgeries at the beginning and end of 2022.
According to Shams Charania, the Chicago Bulls are expected to shut down Lonzo Ball for the remainder of the season. The NBA insider claims that the point guard still has pain and discomfort in his knee, despite the surgery.
Lonzo Ball's return date hasn't been revealed yet. However, considering all the trouble he's gone through recently, he may not be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season either.
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In 35 games with the Bulls, Ball has averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He's also drastically improved his 3-point shooting, converting 42.3% of his long-range shots.
Chicago Bulls have struggled without Ball
Lonzo Ball is a great playmaker who is also amazing on defense. Due to this, it's no surprise that the Bulls have struggled to win games without him. Ball was replaced by Ayo Dosunmu, who's averaged 9.5 points and 2.8 assists this season.
Dosunmu is a young talented player who has a lot of potential. He had a decent rookie season in Chicago, but he's simply not as good as Lonzo Ball.
The Bulls are currently 26-33, two games behind the Toronto Raptors, who are in the final play-in spot. With 23 games left in the season, they can make a playoff push. However, they are definitely not good enough to compete in the East.
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Chicago signed Patrick Beverley shortly after the point guard cleared waivers. The defensive-minded guard should partially make up for Ball's absence, but we'll see if he's good enough to get the Bulls on a win streak.