After sitting out two-and-a-half seasons and undergoing three left knee surgeries, Lonzo Ball wants back on the court — and says he’ll be ready for opening night.
The Bulls are much more cautious, but would love to see him back on the court. On Media Day on Monday, Ball talked about the surgeries and his hopes, with quotes via Julia Poe at the Chicago Tribune.
“I pretty much have a brand new knee,” Ball said. “So it’s always going to be a little bit different than what God gave me to start with. But I’m fine. I feel healthy enough to play. . That’s all that really matters, just managing it throughout the year and being available…
“I think I’ll definitely be ready for the first game.”
Ball hasn’t stepped on an NBA court since January 14, 2021, shortly after he underwent what was then called “clean-up arthroscopic surgery” on his left knee, which would have him back for the playoffs. Except, the pain in his knee never went away. He has had two more knee surgeries since, the most recent of which is a cartilage replacement, where doctors grow cartilage outside the body and place it in the knee.
Ball owned that they were in uncharted territory, and no player had ever come back from a cartilage replacement. If he plays, Ball will be on tight minutes and won’t play in any back-to-backs to begin with.
“We’ll have to bring him up slowly,” executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas said. “We haven’t seen him go through training camp, so it’s going to be a lot of learning experience during training camp and how he can take loads in everyday practices, so we’ll take it one step at a time.”
Ball is also in a contract year, playing is his only chance on a deal anywhere for next season. He picked up his $21.5 million contract option with the Bulls for that season, the final year of the four-year, $80 million contract.
Ball was a critical piece for the 2021 Chicago team, but his role is less clearly defined now. Chicago will put the ball in the hands of newly acquired Josh Giddey this season (although he has his own injury issues from the Olympics), and Coby White has emerged as a quality point guard in the rotation. Beyond that, this is a roster in transition with DeMar DeRozan gone and Chicago still looking to trade Zach LaVine.
Whatever the role, just seeing Ball back on the court would be a great story. And Bulls fans could use some great stories this season.
