Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has logged just 35 regular season appearances in a Bulls uniform since the team signed him to a four-year, $85 million deal in the summer of 2021. Even more disappointing, all of those 35 appearances came last season, as Ball has yet to play a single minute during the 2022-23 campaign. And a recent, unfortunate injury update indicates that Ball won’t be ready to return to the court any time soon, per a tweet from Daniel Greenberg:

“According to @JCowleyHoops on 670 The Score: 1) The Chicago Bulls don’t know why Lonzo Ball is still feeling pain in his knee. The medical staff doesn’t know why there is still pain. Lonzo and his camp also don’t know why. 2) Lonzo has had at least 6 opinions from doctors.”

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Lonzo Ball, 25, has played five years in the NBA since being drafted second overall in 2017. With Ball having yet to make an All-Star game or establish himself as a legitimate star in the big leagues, the UCLA product has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being a number two pick. However, while he hasn’t dominated the NBA as some thought he would, that doesn’t mean Ball hasn’t been productive. Just one year ago, as the starting point guard for the Bulls, he averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per contest.

Seeing as the 2022-23 NBA season is more than halfway over, the Bulls should have Ball sit out until the fall. Rushing Ball back from this injury would likely do more harm than good.