Ball underwent cartilage transplant surgery on his left knee Monday, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed last week that Ball was set to undergo the third surgery on his problematic left knee in 14 months, with the latest one differing in nature from the prior two, which were arthroscopic procedures. Ball's cartilage transplant procedure is described as a relatively new innovation in sports medicine that's described as an alternative to a full knee replacement in order to better maintain the integrity of the knee joint. Given the limited history of athletes who have had the procedure, Ball is without a clear timeline for a return, but the Bulls are already preparing for the 25-year-old to miss most of the 2023-24 season. Both the Bulls and Ball are hoping that a full recovery from Monday's surgery will allow him to resume his career at some point, though it's unclear if he'll ever resemble the player he was before the knee issue first cropped up last January.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Could miss 2023-2024 season
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Ball will undergo a third procedure on his left knee -- a cartilage transplant -- and is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2023-24 season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Ball only played 35 games in 2021-22 and has already been ruled out for the 2022-23 season due to a troublesome left knee. The Bulls hope the surgery will revive the 25-year-old point guard's career. When he's been on the floor, Ball is a productive fantasy player, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.6 minutes across those 35 appearances for Chicago. This season, head coach Billy Donovan turned to a combination of Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Caruso and Goran Dragic early to help fill the void, but lately, it's been a lot of Patrick Beverley following his acquisition from the buyout market. Bulls management may attempt to upgrade the position in the offseason, but their hands are a bit tied financially due to the contracts of Ball, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Nikola Vucevic is on an expiring contract, but an extension feels likely.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Likely to need third knee procedure
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Ball faces a "growing possibility" of requiring a third surgical procedure on his left knee, which would likely include an additional six months of rehab and recovery time, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Ball hasn't played in a game since Jan. 14, 2022 and was recently ruled out for the rest of the 2022-23 season after failing to make any significant progress in his recovery from the two procedures on his knee, which he underwent last January and last September. The 25-year-old point guard also had another arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the knee during the summer of 2018. Before deciding whether Ball will need another procedure, the player and his representatives will consult with knee specialists. Still, at this stage, sources tell Wojnarowski that the belief is that a third surgery in 14 months will give the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft his best chance to play again. Ball, who is set to enter the third year of the four-year, $80 million deal he inked with the Bulls in August 2021, will almost assuredly be out for at least the early part of the 2023-24 season if he opts for another surgery.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Expected to be shut down
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Ball (knee) is expected to be shut down for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Unfortunately, the writing has been on the wall for several months, as all indications are that Ball continues to battle pain and discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee. The guard underwent two procedures on the knee in 2022, the first of which ended his 2021-22 campaign after just 35 appearances. Entering this season, there was some hope that Ball would be able to rehab and return at some point, but now it looks as though the team will close the book on that possibility coming out of the All-Star break. Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, is only 25 years old, but given the developments of the last calendar year, it's now fair to question whether he'll ever be able to recapture his status as one of the league's most promising two-way guards. Prior to being shut down in 2021-22, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks while shooting a career-best 42.3 percent from three (3.1 3PM/G) for the season.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Update coming after break
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Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas said Saturday that Ball (knee) will have his status updated following the All-Star break, Brian Dulik of The Associated Press reports.
Chicago's upcoming update on Ball could provide final word once and for all regarding whether or not he has a realistic chance of playing during the 2022-23 season. The sixth-year point guard hasn't played in an NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022 while struggling to make progress in his recovery from a pair of arthroscopic procedures on his left knee. Though prior updates on Ball from head coach Billy Donovan haven't been especially encouraging, the 25-year-old has been able to dunk the basketball in addition to doing some light running in recent weeks, so he hasn't been completely shut down from activity.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: 'Nowhere close' to returning
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Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said before Saturday's game against the Magic that Ball (knee) is "nowhere close" to returning and the team will have a formal conversation about a cut-off date if his condition doesn't improve over the All-Star break, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
It's looking increasingly unlikely that Ball will appear in a game this season. Despite making tangible progress this month through light running and dunking, Ball is still experiencing significant discomfort in his surgically-repaired left knee. Fantasy managers still holding onto Ball in redraft leagues are probably safe to drop him, especially if those leagues end in mid-to-late March rather than April.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Hope for playing in 2022-23 waning
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Ball said Monday that he's still experiencing some discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee and acknowledged the possibility that he might not be able to play during the 2022-23 season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
While joining the Bulls in Paris ahead of their upcoming game in Paris on Thursday, Ball told reporters that he's remained mentally strong in his year-long absence from the left knee injury that he's addressed through a pair of arthroscopic procedures, the second of which he had in late September. Though Ball is doing light running again and taking part in some on-court work, he likely won't be cleared to ramp up to full-speed, full-contact practice until the discomfort in his knee completely subsides. At this stage, Ball appears safe to rule out through the All-Star break, and his comments Monday suggest that the 25-year-old isn't entirely confident he'll be ready to play before the Bulls wrap up their regular-season slate April 9. Given his lack of a return timeline -- if he suits up at all in 2022-23 -- Ball is tough to justify holding in most redraft leagues with limited injured-list spots.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Progresses to dunking
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Ball (knee) shared videos on Instagram of him dunking and running on the treadmill, but coach Billy Donovan continues to state that the guard's progress is "really, really slow," K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Of course, Ball dunking is a great sign that he's progressing, but Johnson notes that he's yet to be cleared to cut or do full-speed daily on-court running -- maybe his biggest hurdles. Saturday (Jan. 14) marks the one-year mark since Ball last appeared in an NBA game. It's doubtful he will play before the All-Star break, and his status for the entire 2022-23 season remains in doubt.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Still progressing slowly
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Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Friday that Ball is making some progress in his recovery from left knee surgery, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago reports. "[He is] regularly on the court shooting, which has been good," Donovan said of Ball. "Actually jumping a little bit while shooting. He's been doing some light jogging...it is progressing, it's just really slow. But there has definitely been some improvements and he's actually doing more physically than the last time we spoke."
Though Donovan continues to note that Ball's recovery from the latest surgery he had on his knee in September is going "really slow" and the point guard is "not even close" to being cleared for contact, it's at least a positive development that he isn't being shut down from activity entirely. That being said, Ball is nearing the one-year mark since he last played in an NBA game (Jan. 14, 2022), and he's currently at the stage in his recovery in which his rehab stalled out last spring, ultimately forcing a follow-up surgery in the fall. Based on where he currently stands, Ball seems unlikely to play before the All-Star break in mid-February, and it may be a stretch for him to suit up at any point before the 2022-23 season comes to a close unless he's able to begin practicing in some capacity within the next month or so.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Still without timeline to play
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Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Sunday that Ball (knee) is "progressing towards" running, but the point guard remains without a timeline to do that activity, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
While Donovan's update is mildly positive, it's far from a guarantee that Ball, who underwent the second procedure on his left knee in eight months in late September, will be able to play at any point this season. Just one week ago, Adrian Wojnarowski reported on ESPN's "NBA Countdown" that Ball still has pain his left knee, a discouraging sign given that he's now two and a half months removed from his latest procedure. Even if Ball is able to get back on the court to do some running in the near future, it's worth noting that the 25-year-old previously felt pain while running on an anti-gravity treadmill last season while rehabbing from the initial surgery. With that in mind, the Bulls are likely to proceed extremely cautiously with Ball, whom Donovan said will require a "significant ramp-up period" to regain conditioning whenever he's ultimately cleared to resume basketball activities. Given that he doesn't currently look to be on pace to make his season debut until after the All-Star break, if at all, Ball likely isn't worth holding in most redraft leagues.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Rehab proceeding slowly
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Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Wednesday that Ball (knee) remains without a timeline for making his season debut, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports. "It's been really slow," Donovan said, in reference to Ball's rehab process. "It's gotten better, but is he clearly without any pain? No, he's not. He still has pain. We're seeing the slow, gradual strides getting better, but I just don't have any timetable of when he could even be back."
Ball initially injured his left knee Jan. 14 of last season and underwent surgery approximately two weeks later to repair a small meniscus tear. Even after missing the rest of the season and rehabbing throughout the summer, the 25-year-old didn't respond to that procedure as well as the Bulls had hoped and required another knee surgery -- an arthroscopic debridement -- in late September. Nine weeks after having that second surgery, Ball is still unable to run, jump or cut, though he's been able to perform moderate weightlifting and core exercises. Ball doesn't appear to be particularly close to resuming basketball activities, so his 2022-23 debut looks as though it could be weeks or possibly even months away, if it even happens at all.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Positive progress in rehab
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Bulls coach Billy Donovan is "very optimistic" about Ball's recovery from knee surgery but has not given a timetable for his return, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Ball has started running in water but hasn't begun basketball activities yet. It doesn't appear that Ball is ready to return anytime soon, but there is good reason to expect he won't miss the entire season. Ayo Dosunmu, Goran Dragic and Alex Caruso should continue to receive the majority of the backcourt minutes with Ball and Coby White (quadriceps) out.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Doing well after surgery per HC
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Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Monday that Ball (knee) is doing well following his surgery, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Ball underwent surgery last Wednesday and is still on crutches, but Donovan said the team feels optimistic about the procedure. Per Poe, Ball will need more time to recover before the medical staff can clear him to begin rehab, but the Bulls are still giving the guard a chance to return this season.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Out at least a few months
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Ball (knee) is slated to miss at least a few months after undergoing his second procedure Wednesday, but he should return in 2022-23, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Ball's absence for a large chunk of the season will leave a major void on the ball to open the 2022-23 campaign, which will likely be primarily filled by the combination of Ayo Dosunmu and Goran Dragic. There's no specific date or month listed for Ball's return, but "at least a few months" would suggest around the turn of the calendar to 2023 may be the best-case scenario.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Undergoing another procedure
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Ball (knee) is set for another procedure Wednesday after indicating that he can't run or jump yet after undergoing a knee surgery eight months ago, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports. He will be re-evaluated in 6-to-8 weeks.
The Bulls' starting point guard is slated to miss a sizable chunk to open the 2022-23 campaign. We likely won't get a more specific timetable until late October or early No,vember when his evaluation is scheduled. In the meantime, Chicago will turn to its wealth of reserve guards to fill the void. Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso should see the most minutes, while Goran Dragic and Coby White should fill in behind.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Undergoing surgery next week
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Ball will undergo surgery on his left knee on Wednesday, Sept. 28, and will be re-evaluated four-to-six weeks later, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports.
Ball had surgery on his knee in January and will undergo an arthroscopic debridement to fix any remaining issues. Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks in 35 games last season. He also proved to be an elite outside shooter, shooting 42.3 percent on 7.4 three-point attempts. With Ball likely to miss the beginning of the season, the Bulls will have to turn to a combination of Goran Dragic, Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Caruso and Coby White to play point guard.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Doubtful for start of season
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Ball is expected to miss all of training camp and is doubtful (knee) for the start of the season, Jamal Collier and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN report.
Ball is experiencing lingering pain and discomfort following meniscus surgery on his left knee in January. The Bulls were not the same team after Ball's injury last year, going sub-.500 the rest of the way. His perimeter defense, passing, and outside shooting will be missed early on in 2022-23, with the Bulls likely relying on a platoon of Goran Dragic, Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Caruso and Coby White until his return.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Might not be ready for camp
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Ball (knee) might not be ready for training camp, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports. "He's progressing. That's as much as I can say," Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said during the NBA TV telecast. "He's getting better - probably not at the speed that we would like, but he is getting better. Hopefully he's going to be ready for training camp, (but) that's just our hopes."
The point guard underwent surgery for a torn meniscus Jan. 28, and despite initial reports that he could be back as soon as six weeks, he never ended up playing again. While Ball, in theory, should be ready for camp, it seems that his knee still isn't healing as expected. Injuries continue to be a plague on the point guard's career, as he's appeared in only 64.6 percent of the regular-season games possible since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2017.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Making progress in rehab
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Ball (knee) is making progress in his rehabilitation of left knee issues that bothered him last season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Ball is rehabbing in Los Angeles, with the Bulls sending performance staff to see him every week to track progress. The point guard underwent surgery for a torn meniscus Jan. 28, and despite initial reports that he could be back as soon as six weeks, he never ended up playing again. The expectation should be that Ball will be ready for training camp in October.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Knee still not improving
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The Bulls have "serious concerns" about Ball's surgically repaired left knee, as the point guard continues to deal with pain and discomfort, ESPN 1000 in Chicago reports.
Ball underwent surgery all the way back in late January and was initially expected to return to action before the end of the regular season. However, he hit multiple snags in the recovery process, prompting the Bulls to rule him out for the remainder of the season in early April. Roughly three weeks ago, it was reported that Ball was still experiencing pain in his knee, and it looks like nothing has changed on that front. While the UCLA product has plenty of time before the start of the 2022-23 season, it's nonetheless concerning that he does not appear to be making any progress. It's unclear what course of action the Bulls will take, but it's possible Ball could require a second, clean-up surgery on the knee.
