Tag: Lonzo Ball

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball delivers injury update: ‘Halfway through the rehab process’

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball provided an injury update at 2023 Bulls Media Day.

When Lonzo Ball joined the team in 2021, the Chicago Bulls got off to a roaring start. They were one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and looked poised to make a solid playoff run. But Ball went down with an injury 35 games into his Bulls career and hasn’t made it back onto the court since.

Chicago has struggled with their point guard play ever since losing Ball. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have picked up some of the slack, and the Bulls signed Jevon Carter this offseason. And he’ll be crucial, as Ball is set to miss the entirety of the upcoming season.

During the Bulls’ 2023 Media Day, Ball provided an update on his injury status, noting that he’s roughly “halfway through the rehab process.” (H/t Will Gottlieb of CHGO)

“The surgery was a really big surgery,” Ball said. “We were all together and came together with a plan moving forward. It’s not really I wouldn’t say a set timeline. But I pretty much have this whole year to get as healthy as possible and be ready to go next season. So like I said, I’m taking each week just trying to stay positive and take it like that. I know I’ll be going back and forth from here and LA just because that’s what my rehab person is out there. I’ll be with the team sometimes and out there sometimes but I don’t have to set dates yet.”

The Bulls will hope that Ball can get healthy throughout the course of his year, with next season as the likely goal date for a potential return.

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Nikola Vucevic defends Lonzo Ball: ‘You feel for the guy’

Nikola Vucevic discussed Lonzo Ball’s current injury struggles during an interview with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Lonzo Ball‘s extended absence from the Chicago Bulls rotation has recently been a hot topic. The talented playmaker has been ruled out for the upcoming season as he continues to recover from a lingering knee injury. Since joining the Bulls, Ball has participated in a total of 35 regular-season games.

During a recent interview with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Chicago’s big man, Nikola Vucevic, discussed Ball’s injury struggles and how hard he’s working to return to the court. Vucevic also noted how losing two years of his career would be a big blow to Ball due to the short nature of an NBA player’s time in the professional ranks.

“You feel for the guy. He’s such a good player. And to have to deal with all that, it’s very difficult,” Vučević said. “I mean, he’s been very positive about it. He keeps trying to find ways to get back on the floor. There’s a lot of stuff people can’t see. You can’t see him do rehab. You can’t see all the stuff that he does to get back on the court,” Vučević continued. “I mean, injuries are the worst part of being a player. You want to play. You want to be out there. Our careers, they’re longer now, but they’re still short. And for him to lose two years, two-and-a-half, it’s a big deal.”

Without Ball, the Bulls are unlikely to challenge for a championship in the coming season. Chicago’s roster was designed with the playmaker at the heart of their offense. However, fans will likely be hoping that Ball can recover at some point during the season and make his return in time for the playoffs, although that does seem unlikely at this point.

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Bulls’ Lonzo Ball speaks out on fake news : ‘I’m going to play again’

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball plans to get back out on the court eventually.

The Chicago Bulls started hot in 2021, led by a new-look core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball. They brought in DeRozan and Ball that summer in free agency, and, at the trade deadline, they had traded for Vucevic.

Unfortunately, Ball went down with an injury 35 games into his first season in Chicago and hasn’t been back on the court since. He’s expected to miss the 2023-24 season, and there has been speculation he may never play again. Ball has been doing his best to quell those rumors.

During a panel at Invest Fest in Atlanta, Ball said he plans to play again. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic posted the video to Twitter and wrote up the full quote in an article.

“I’m going to play again,” Ball said. “The outside noise doesn’t bother me. The Stephen A. thing, you know, he has a wide platform. And to me, I just don’t appreciate when people put out fake news like that, especially someone of his stature that can touch a lot of people. It’s just putting out the wrong thing. That’s beside the point. For me, I know what I’ve got to do to get back. And I’m just on the path of doing what I’ve got to do every day. Taking it step by step. I don’t look too far ahead. I know in my near future that I will be back on the court, for sure.”

How long will it be until Ball is back on the court for the Bulls?

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Proposed trade would send James Harden to the Bulls

The proposed trade would give the Chicago Bulls a new star player ahead of the upcoming season.

With Lonzo Ball reportedly out for the upcoming season, the Chicago Bulls are unlikely to find themselves challenging for an NBA championship. Both Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan need a playmaker around them to bring out their best, and both showed signs of decline last season.

Earlier this summer, Chicago re-signed Vucevic to a three-year $60 million deal. There have also been rumors the Bulls want to keep DeRozan around long term. However, it’s clear Chicago’s primary duo isn’t enough to position the team as a contending force in the Eastern Conference.

According to Sam Veceine on the “Game Theory” podcast, the Bulls should consider making a trade for disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden.

While the 2018 MVP has developed a reputation for being a disruptive force in recent years, there’s no denying Harden’s on-court ability, which could bring out the best in Vucevic as a pick-and-pop big man.

 

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.

Lonzo Ball drops hint at potential injury return for Chicago Bulls

In a response video to Stephen A. Smith, Lonzo Ball hinted at a potential return from injury to the Chicago Bulls.

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When the Chicago Bulls pushed all their chips on the table two years ago, they had high hopes. They traded for Nikola Vucevic and, the following summer, signed DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball. At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, they were hot. But an injury to Ball derailed their success.

The point guard has not set foot back on the court for Chicago; injury woes have followed him at every turn. However, a recent video has given fans reason to hope he could be back on the court soon. After Stephen A. Smith said that it has been “hard for him to get up from the sitting position,” on “First Take,” Ball responded.

Ball posted a video to Twitter where he repeatedly got up from a chair on one leg.

“Who are your sources bro?” Ball said. “You gotta stop yapping. I actually like you man. I don’t even know you like that, but I like you. I’m coming back, man.”

That last sentence, “I’m coming back,” is what Bulls fans should stay focused on. Ball has not appeared in a game since 2021. He missed the entirety of last year.

Reports have indicated that Ball will likely miss all of next season as well, but the point guard seems to be in good spirits.

The Bulls were at their best when Ball was on the court, and if they want to reach their ceiling, they need to get him back on the court as soon as possible.

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Watch: Lonzo Ball calls out Stephen A. Smith

Lonzo Ball took to social media to clap back at Stephen A. Smith following claims that he struggles to stand up from a seated position.

The Chicago Bulls continue to deal with Lonzo Ball‘s absence due to a persistent knee injury. Recently, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith noted how he had been informed Ball’s knee was so bad that he struggled to stand from a seated position. 

Smith’s comments undoubtedly caused concern among the Bulls’ fan base. Ball is entering his second full season sidelined by the injury. He has only played 35 games since joining the franchise in 2021. However, on Tuesday, Ball took to social media to clap back at Smith’s claims in a video that showed him repeatedly standing and sitting on a chair.

During a recent podcast appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball confirmed he will miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season as he continues his recovery. However, it’s clear Ball took issue with what he deemed to be a false claim, leading him to make the video before signing off with an encouraging message of “I’m coming back, man!”

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

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Lonzo Ball feels bad for Bulls following injury nightmare

In a recent podcast appearance, Lonzo Ball admitted that he feels bad regarding his injury struggles since joining the Chicago Bulls.

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Lonzo Ball‘s tenure with the Chicago Bulls has not gone as planned. Chicago acquired Ball to be its point guard of the future and to elevate its roster to championship contender. However, a persistent knee injury has scuppered any chances Chicago had of challenging for a championship with their current core.

In a recent appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball discussed his mindset while dealing with the injury. During the interview, the 25-year-old guard confirmed he will be out for the entire 2023-24 season as he continues to recover.

“I feel bad, just for the GMs,” Ball said. “Just because I feel like they made the perfect team around me. That was the most I’ve ever been involved in an organization. I finally got the perfect team that I felt could fit my game, play my way, and really just do what I wanted to do. That injury, I’m still going through it right now, but that one messed me up early. Because I felt like we had a chance, and never got to see what it was.”

Ball joined the Bulls in 2021 and played in 35 games before having his season cut short. Since then, Chicago has been waiting for its starting guard to return to its rotation.

With the upcoming season already ruled out for Ball’s return, he will likely opt into the player option on his current contract, worth $21.3 million for the 2024-25 season, in a bid to prove his health before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025.

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Lonzo Ball showed up Stephen A. Smith over a ridiculous report about him struggling to get up from chairs

He even got up with one leg!!!

Lonzo Ball’s ongoing recovery from a devastating left knee injury seems to have sparked an erroneous report from a huge sports media name.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said he “heard” that Ball was struggling to even stand up from a seated position. Smith, of course, did not clarify where his reporting or sourcing came from. But it was rather eye-opening for a player who has been sidelined since January 2022. It remains unclear when Ball will return to play.

Ball jokingly didn’t take kindly to Smith’s comments about his health.

In the early evening, the Chicago Bulls point guard took to Twitter with a video that featured a pointed demonstration of himself repeatedly standing up from a chair … on his hurt leg, no less. Oh, and he tagged Smith’s profile to ensure he’d see the clip.

This is just brilliant:

You have to appreciate Ball’s creativity and sense of humor. It’s understandably been a challenging situation for him to miss so much on-court time. And here he is, taking a clearly false report about his recovery in stride with an amusing video calling out the original source.

Sometimes that’s all you can do.

Lonzo Ball discusses injury woes and Bulls on Trae Young’s podcast

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball recently made an appearance on Trae Young’s podcast.

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Two years ago, the Chicago Bulls decided it was time to end their rebuilding phase and start pushing for the playoffs. They traded for Nikola Vucevic at the 2021 deadline and signed DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball in free agency, completely reshaping their roster.

Unfortunately, after a hot start to the 2021-22 season, Ball went down with an injury, and he hasn’t returned to the court. He was an integral part of Chicago’s early season success, and it hasn’t been the same since. The team has won a single playoff game in the past two years.

During a recent appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball discussed his injury issues and the Bulls.

What should the Bulls’ plan be moving forward in regard to Ball?

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