Getty Lonzo Ball #2, Chicago Bulls
There is still no timetable for when Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will return to the court. Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports revealed that he caught up with Ball, and the sixth-year guard gave him an update on where he’s at.
“I did run into Lonzo Ball at the United Center the other night. He looks good, both mentally and physically. He shared with me that he’s just going through the rehab process. There’s no new timetable for his return, but the thing that really stuck out to me was just his level of calmness and his desire to want to come back when the time is right,” Robinson said.
Bulls G Lonzo Ball continues to rehab & tells @BallySports that he feels great.
While no new timetable for his return, Ball’s been in a good place mentally.
Many have critiqued the Bulls needs with even the Lakers becoming a topic of conversation, a healthy Ball is an asset.
Ball has not played for the Bulls since January 14 against the Golden State Warriors. Since his absence, there has been much uncertainty regarding when Ball will be able to return to the court. This has been evidenced by there not being a timetable for his return almost a year after his last game.
Robinson’s Thoughts on Ball’s Return
After giving his update on Ball, Robinson detailed what Ball should bring to the court if and when he does.
“Defensively, you know that he can guard your favorite team’s one and two. Maybe sometimes, at the three position, he can shoot the deep ball, something that the Bulls are missing,” Robinson. “I think in this situation with him, when he comes back, I think defensively, and from the three-point line, early in the season, you’re missing that, but that depth could help once he does return.”
When Ball last played for the Bulls against the Warriors on January 14, they were 27-13. At that time, they were the no. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They finished the season at 46-36, which dropped them all the way to the no. 6 seed in the conference. While Ball was not the only Bull who had suffered an injury during that time – Alex Caruso broke his wrist on January 21 – his absence played a role in the Bulls dropping as much as they did when he went down.
The Bulls are currently 11-15. Combining their current record with the record they had after Ball’s last game with the team, the Bulls are 30-36 since Ball went down, indicating that the Bulls need him on the court.
Robinson’s Thoughts on Bulls’ Potentially Starting Over
Robinson brought up the rumors of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Bulls discussing a trade, believing that a move like that would benefit the Lakers a lot more.
“There’s been talk about the Lakers and the Bulls and things of that sort,” Robinson said. “I feel like if the Lakers and the Bulls were to make a move like that, the Lakers would get better so much faster than the Bulls.”
For that reason, Robinson believes the Bulls should stick it out with where they are now because of the poor return they’d get if they started over.
“Sometimes, when you want to blow up the house, you’re not going to get a full return on your investment. I think in this case with the Bulls, I personally think that they should wait it out because it’s still early in the season.”