Anytime information regarding Chicago Bulls point guard, Lonzo Ball hits the newsfeed, a collective gasp tends to reverberate throughout the Bulls fanbase, and fans of Lonzo. After reports circulated that the Bulls were optimistic about Lonzo’s progress with his knee, a new report surfaced today that gives much cause to pause.
Per ESPN’s Jamal Collier, Lonzo is expected to miss training camp and is doubtful for the start of the regular season with lingering pain and discomfort following knee surgery in January.
TOP NEWS
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is not expected to participate in training camp and is doubtful for the start of the regular season with lingering pain and discomfort following knee surgery in January, sources tell me and @ramonashelburne
ESPN story: https://t.co/apmtZHrLjd
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) September 2, 2022
A simple check of the calendar shows we are nearly 8 months removed from meniscus tear surgery, which has a standard recovery time of 6-8 weeks. Lonzo was expected re-join the Bulls for a late season surge and deep playoff run, however, due to constant pain during rehab sessions, the Bulls sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Related: Lonzo Ball’s knee is causing ‘serious concerns’ for Bulls
Lonzo is yet to reach the quarter century mark. At just 24-years-old, he has yet to play a full season, and this is twice within his five-year career where the same knee has caused problems.
The Bulls invested four years, and $85 million dollars for Lonzo to assist in taking its franchise to new heights. The investment paid major dividends early as the Bulls were clearly one of the best teams in the NBA while Lonzo was healthy, posting a 27-13 record at one point. However, the Bulls were just 19-23 without Lonzo, and were bounced quickly from the playoffs in an embarrassing first round ousting by the Milwaukee Bucks.
With three years remaining on his contract, it is imperative the Bulls do their due diligence and ensure his knee is a non-issue moving forward. Given his injury history, it is best to proceed with caution.
All of this may be much to do about nothing at the end of the day. Nonetheless, it remains a major cause for concern.
