It's gone from bad to worse for Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls. After already being ruled out for the remainder of 2022-23 after undergoing two knee surgeries, it appears the point guard is heading for a third that will now force him to miss all of the 2023-24 season.
Via Woj:
“Bulls G Lonzo Ball will undergo a third surgical procedure on his left knee in past 14 months. He hasn’t played since January of 2022 and had already been ruled out this season.”
The ESPN insider also notes this surgery is hopefully going to give Ball a pathway to play basketball again, with all parties optimistic he can fully recover. Absolutely brutal news for Lonzo to sit out another entire campaign, but this appears to be the only option in order to get back on the court and ball out.
Ball signed a four-year, $85 million deal with the Bulls after a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in August of 2021 and quickly made his presence felt. He was playing a career-high 34.6 minutes per game while averaging 13.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per night in 35 contests before suffering a knee injury and having surgery on a meniscus tear. That eventually cost him the rest of 2021-22, hurting Chicago's playoff aspirations without a true point guard alongside DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Since then, it's been non-stop aggravation in that same knee, resulting in a second surgery in a span of just 14 months. The last time he stepped foot on the floor was in January of last year. Just brutal for Lonzo, who was seen as such an important piece of this new Chicago core when they acquired him from NOLA.
Hopefully, this latest operation can do the trick and allow him to play the game he loves again.
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