On the heels of the Chicago Bulls announcing that point guard Lonzo Ball would miss the remainder of the season as he continues to rehab a lingering knee injury, 2016 NBA champion Tristan Thompson delivered another major blow to the Bulls fan base.

Making an appearance on ESPN, Thompson reports that doctors have told Ball that he has a “unique injury that they have never seen before” (h/t Daniel Greenberg).

Ball originally was listed out with left knee soreness on Jan. 15, 2022, the day after a loss to the Golden State Warriors. Since then, it's been revealed that he sustained a meniscus tear, and was already dealing with a bone bruise. Months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair his left knee, he still continued to experience pain with high-level physical activity despite a 6-to-8 week recovery timeline.

Prior to undergoing arthroscopic debridement surgery last September, his notoriously outspoken father LaVar took issue with the Bulls rehabilitation process, particularly with how quickly Lonzo started running. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan had halted Ball's running for just 10 days due to knee swelling a month.

Unable to run, jump, or cut nine weeks after the debridement surgery, the writing already appeared to be on the wall for the former second-overall pick in 2022-23. Unfortunately, looking forward, the road only seems to be getting longer for Ball.

Looking at the timeline of Lonzo's injury, one has to wonder whether or not the Bulls mismanaged his recovery process, rushing him back while risking his long-term health and potential complications.