Category: Lonzo

Bulls’ Lonzo Ball shares optimistic update on injury return plans

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball recently shared some thoughts on his injury recovery.

It’s officially been over two full years since Lonzo Ball stepped on an NBA basketball court for the Chicago Bulls. When Chicago brought him on board, the plan was clear – be competitive in the East. And when he was healthy, they found success. They were one of the top teams in the conference in the early stages of the season.

Ball has been dealing with a knee injury for the past two seasons. He missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season and is now slated to miss all of this year as well. The Bulls have missed him, but he remains optimistic.

The Bulls point guard recently confirmed that his plan is absolutely to get back on the court. He’s working towards it and will continue to do so.

“I definitely plan on playing again,” Ball said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “After surgery three, I feel like it’s going well so far, no setbacks. So for me it’s just keep my head up, just keep doing the work. Rehab has been long. It feels like every day is almost the same. But I’m getting better each week and that’s all I can ask for. It feels good to be around the guys. You can feel a new energy in the building, at least coming from my point of view.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan also shared his optimistic outlook on the situation.

“The biggest thing we’ve tried to do is make sure he’s in the right hands to go through the rehab and recover and try to get as close to fully healthy as he possibly can,” Donovan said. “At some point when he’s cleared to play and this continues to move in the right direction, he’s going to need some time. I am hopeful and optimistic that he’ll be back with us.

Ball may not be back this year, but the Bulls are ready for whenever he’s ready.

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Lonzo Ball trade rumors ramping up ahead of potential Bulls moves

For the second time in the span of a week, rumors have indicated that the Chicago Bulls could trade Lonzo Ball.

When the Chicago Bulls reshaped their roster in 2021, they changed everything. They brought in DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball in free agency, and before all of that, they added Nikola Vuevic at the 2021 trade deadline. Fast forward to nearly three years later, and things haven’t gone according to plan.

The Bulls have won just a single playoff game since then, and while they are in the Play-In race this season, it’s looking like they are going to restructure the roster at the trade deadline. Ball hasn’t played in a game since January of 22 – two years ago – and while he’s not going to get back on the court anytime soon, his time with the Bulls could be over sooner than most expect.

KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago recently reported that ist’s “conceivable” that the Bulls use Ball’s salary in a potential trade.

“Ball owns a $21.4 million player option for next season that he’ll certainly exercise,” Johnson wrote. “Given that insurance is currently paying the bulk of his contract, it’s conceivable that Ball is used as a salary-matching addition to any potential trade the Bulls make before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.”

This is the second time Ball’s name has come up in trade rumors in the span of a week. Long-time NBA insider Marc Stein and his newsletter, “The Stein Line,” also reported similar findings.

“Potentially supporting such notions are the recent whispers that the Bulls have not completely ruled out using Lonzo Ball’s insurance-covered contract in a trade to add talent,” Stein wrote.

“Ball, who has been particularly missed by LaVine, last played in January 2022 and will miss this entire season because of ongoing knee issues. The 26-year-old holds a $21.4 million player option for next season that he is certain to exercise, but with 80 percent of Ball’s contract covered by league-provided insurance because he’s been out so long, Chicago wouldn’t be paying out nearly that much if it simply opts to keep Ball.”

Nothing is for sure, but it’s looking more and more like the Bulls could be willing to use Ball in a trade this year.

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Stephen A. Smith claps back at Lonzo Ball

Stephen A. Smith clapped back at Lonzo Ball’s recent video during an episode of ESPN’s First Take.

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The back-and-forth between Lonzo Ball and Stephen A. Smith took another turn on Wednesday, Aug. 23. During an episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith responded to a viral video in which Ball called him out. Smith’s initial comments that Ball was struggling to stand up out of a chair were what led Ball to respond.

During Smith’s response, he noted how he had information regarding the type of surgery Ball underwent, where he had the surgery and what doctors performed the procedure. Smith went on to note that Ball getting in and out of a chair wasn’t proof of being fit, at least by basketball standards.

Ball has participated in 35 games for the Chicago Bulls since joining the franchise in 2021. Since then, the playmaking guard has struggled with a persistent knee injury and isn’t expected to return this season.

You can watch Smith’s full response to Ball in the embedded clip above.

Paul George says Lonzo is more talented than LaMelo

The Clippers All-Star showed some love to the Ball brothers on his podcast.

Watching Lonzo Ball on the basketball court has been hard to come by over the last two seasons for the Chicago Bulls.

Ball has battled through a left knee injury that has seen pain and discomfort linger, forcing the Bulls point guard into two additional procedures, with the latest potentially leaving him on the sideline for the entire 2023-24 season.

And yet, Lonzo is still getting shown love from his peers. On the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, the Clippers All-Star chose Lonzo over his brother, LaMelo, in who was more talented.

“I would say Lonzo’s more pure talent than LaMelo,” George said. “What can’t Lonzo do? He can guard. He can shoot. He can play-make. His IQ. He can rebound great for his position. What can’t Lonzo Ball do?”

One of George’s co-host’s didn’t tend to agree but George stood his ground in defending Lonzo’s talent.

Check out the full clip below.

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Billy Donovan: Lonzo faces ‘uphill battle’ to return to play

Ball underwent a cartilage transplant on his left knee on Monday.

The Chicago Bulls have been without their starting point guard since last-January.

And that absence will continue.

On Monday, Lonzo Ball underwent his third surgery on his left knee to help eliminate the lingering pain and discomfort.

Prior to Monday’s game against Philadelphia, Bulls coach Billy Donovan gave an update on Ball and and the battle that faces the point guard to return to play.

“I think we all understand that that’s going to be an uphill battle for him. But I know that he’s going to do everything possible in his rehab to get himself back on the court.”

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Report: Lonzo Ball to undergo third knee surgery, miss 2023-24 season

There are ‘concerns’ that Ball’s career may be in jeopardy.

The news continues to get more bleak and sad about Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball’s knee injury.

On Thursday, it was confirmed that Ball would be going under the knife for the third time in efforts to eliminate the pain and discomfort in his left knee.

Reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Ball will undergo a third procedure on his left knee, which could cost him to miss the entire 2023-24 season.

Ball has struggled to ramp up his rehab over the last year since the initial surgery due to continued pain and discomfort. Ball underwent a second surgery in September to help alleviate the pain but to no avail.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that ‘there are concerns about Ball’s ability to resume his career’ and the organization is hopeful that undergoing a third procedure will help Ball’s knee recover.

Woj reported just a week ago that there was ‘growing possibility’ that Ball would undergo a third surgery that would require an additional six months of recovery.

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Report: ‘Growing possibility’ Lonzo Ball undergoes third procedure on knee

Ball will need another six months of recovery and rehab.

The news just never gets easier for Bulls guard Lonzo Ball.

On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there’s ‘growing possibility’ that Ball could undergo a third procedure on his right knee.

Wojnarowski reported that the third procedure will sideline Ball for an additional six months for recovery and rehab, which would jeopardize his ability to be ready for the beginning of the 2023-23 season.

Ball and the Bulls organization have been ‘perplexed’ on why his knee is failing to recover and continuing to feel pain and discomfort in the rehab process.

The Bulls point guard has yet to take the floor since undergoing surgery to repair a small tear in his left meniscus in late-January of last season, which was followed up with a second procedure in September in hopes to eliminate the pain.

If it wasn’t concerning already, the future of Ball in this league is beginning to become unknown.

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Bulls mentioned as one of bigger NBA disappointments

The Chicago Bulls have been mentioned by Bleacher Report as one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA this season.

The Chicago Bulls came into the season with lofty expectations, but have mostly fallen flat on their faces due to injury and ill-fitting pieces.

Because of that, Bleacher Report lists them as one of the more disppointing teams in the NBA this season, laying out the reasoning pretty clearly:

The Bulls wanted much more than this, though. Built to score in bunches and win in the short term, this team surrendered two first-rounders and Wendell Carter Jr. to add Nikola Vucević at the 2021 trade deadline, signed a 32-year-old DeMar DeRozan to a three-year, $81.9 million contract the ensuing offseason and maxed out Zach LaVine this past summer. Those moves made Chicago’s intentions crystal clear, even if outside observers couldn’t look at this roster and see more than a .500 team.

The Bulls acquired Lonzo Ball with the belief that he would be the stabilizing piece of a talented core. But with ongoing (and possibly career threatening) knee issues, he has yet to suit up for the team this season. Even with him gone, the thought was that the Bulls would be able to succeed.

In DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls have three guys who have been multiple time all-stars. With that being the case, Chicago should be much better than they are.  The numbers look good, as both DeRozan and LaVine are averaging over 24 points a game and Vucevic is averaging a double double with 17.7 points and 11.3 rebounds. But the biggest problem they face is that their best players operate best in the same spaces offensively.

DeRozan, for as good as he is, is strictly a mid-range shooter. With no consistent threat from behind the arc, he hinders the offense. LaVine, who is more of a three level scorer, can have his driving lanes taken away if DeRozan is spacing the floor. Last but not least, Vucevic, a post-centric big man, leaves a lot to desired when he’s not on the block.

The Bulls have the talent to be much better than the record shows, but the light at the end of the tunnel seems so far away.

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Report: Lonzo, Bulls ‘perplexed’ on why his knee isn’t progressing

Ball hasn’t played since last January due to continued pain in his knee.

The Chicago Bulls has yet to see their entire core on the floor together since last January.

Lonzo Ball continues to attempt to rehab his knee injury, which he underwent a second procedure on in September to help with lingering pain and discomfort.

Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times appeared on 670 The Score on Tuesday to discuss the Bulls and gave an update on Ball’s knee.

“I think they are as perplexed as Lonzo is,” Cowley said of the Bulls. “They’re all sticking to it’s not chronic, it’s not career-threatening. I think this year is a pretty much a wash. I’d be shocked.”

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‘I would never count that out’: Lonzo Ball on playing this season

Ball is hopeful that he’ll return to the court this season.

The Chicago Bulls are still awaiting the return of their point guard Lonzo Ball.

Ball has yet to step on the floor after suffering a small tear in his left knee last January.

As the team arrived in Paris for Thursday’s Paris Game vs. Detroit Pistons, Ball spoke to the media about his knee’s progress.

“I mean, naturally, yeah, everything is on a time schedule,” Ball said of potentially playing this season. “But I’m trying to stay positive, keep my hopes up. I would love to play. I would never count that out. It’s a long year, I feel like we’re hitting our stride right now. So hopefully I can keep getting better, the team will keep getting better and we can meet up.”

When asked about the workout videos that he posted on his Instagram, Ball spoke on his rehab process, including beginning to run.

“Just that the process was starting. To be able to do something, getting back on the floor a little bit, starting to run on the treadmill,” Ball said. “Obviously, there’s still some discomfort and some hitching in there. But it’s the process of getting everything started.”

Ball underwent an additional surgery in September in efforts to eliminate the pain and discomfort that lingered when attempting to ramp up his rehab.

Time will tell if Ball is able to get back on the floor this season, or if the Bulls are in a viable spot in the standings where it makes sense for him to do so.

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