The Chicago Bulls are on the precipice of some horrible news. While it won’t be announced until after the NBA All-Star break, the expectation, according to Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports, is that Lonzo Ball won’t return this season.
Johnson recently said on Bulls Talk Pod that it’s a “foregone conclusion” that Ball, who hasn’t appeared in a game since Jan. 14, 2022, would be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. While that knee injury originally appeared to be harmless on the surface, further evaluation and testing revealed a torn meniscus. Ball underwent surgery, and his initial timeline for a potential return was six-to-eight weeks.
Bulls Vice President Artūras Karnišovas told reporters over a week ago that while Ball was making small improvements, Chicago would have more information on his status post-All-Star weekend.
“He’s not even running or cutting yet,” Johnson said.
Johnson couldn’t commit to saying whether Ball would be ready for training camp, as neither the Bulls nor the former second-team All-Rookie guard could make that conclusion at this point in time. Johnson did say that until Ball is able to return, the question/concern over this being a career-threatening injury is going to remain.
The NBA world reacted to Ball’s devastating injury news on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1626953935431823360?s=20
Absolutely brutal what has happened to Lonzo Ball. Dude was finally finding his rhythm in the league when he was in New Orleans. Could've been a special talent. Injuries suck. https://t.co/lmdDZUkLBZ
— Bam Adobobayo (@Bam_Adobobayo) February 18, 2023