The 2022-23 NBA season is on the horizon as media day and the opening of training camp start next week.
Before the season begins, it’s only right to kick off a new NBA campaign with player rankings and predictions, which ESPN has put together with its NBArank of their top 100 players.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s NBA staff released the first 74 players in the top 100 rankings, which included Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball at No. 78. Ball was ranked No. 57 in last year’s ESPN’s NBArank.
Jamal Collier of ESPN elaborates on Ball’s ranking:
“How healthy will Ball be this season? Ball hasn’t appeared in a game since Jan. 14 and has experienced discomfort whenever he ramps up basketball activity this offseason. He is not expected to participate in the start of training camp, raising questions for when he might be ready to return to the floor at all.”
ESPN’s ranking for Ball is based on what he’s able to do when he’s available — and that availability is an unknown for the Bulls at the moment. If Lonzo’s injury continues to linger, Chicago’s ceiling for this season becomes a lot lower.
In his first season with the Bulls, Lonzo averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from 3-point range.
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