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Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has not played in a game since facing the Golden State Warriors on January 14, 2022. He has been working to return from a knee injury he said began during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the time since then, Ball has undergone three surgeries to repair his knee, including receiving a ligament transplant.
As he anticipates returning in 2024-25, Ball spoke about his “first real test.”
“I’m still looking forward to playing the first game, man,” Ball said on the “What An Experience!” podcast on July 26. “My first real test, I feel like, will be this August when I play … 5-on-5 for the first time fullcourt. So that’ll be like the first tester, and then I’ll have a better update then. But so far so so good everything has been going well. Been progressing on the court and getting stronger as well in the weight room. So I have no complaints right now.”
Ball has been sharing videos of his workouts with renowned trainer Chris Johnson, including movement drills and dunking.
Ball’s comments differ greatly from his previous remarks at the end of the 2021-22 season.
Bulls’ Lonzo Ball ‘Getting More Comfortable’ on Surgically Repaired Knee
Then, Ball spoke about being at a “standstill” during his 2021-22 season-ending media availability. He also detailed his difficulty in doing everyday tasks.
He detailed his most recent procedure during a previous episode of the podcast.
“I’m getting more comfortable each week,” Ball said on the July 26 episode. “I feel like I can feel my movements getting back to normal the more time that I’m on the court. It’s just about finding that balance about how much stress I can put on it during the day and be able to bounce back the next day. That’s really what I’m trying to juggle with right now. But like I said, I’ll have a better understanding of that when I start playing 5-on-5.”
Ball is in the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract. Getting back on the floor is a critical step toward landing his next contract.
Ball is returning to a crowded backcourt. Coby White has emerged and the Bulls traded for Josh Giddey. Ball was a reliable three-point shooter and defender when he last played. Both skill sets would complement the White and Giddey.
The Bulls also still have Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter, and Zach LaVine, the latter of whom could slide to small forward to replace DeMar DeRozan.
The Stein Line’s Marc Stein reported the Bulls are “resigned” to opening the season with LaVine.
Bulls Could Be Too Good to Keep 2025 1st-Round Pick
“League sources say that the Bulls are thus resigned to fact that they will likely be forced to start the new season with LaVine on the roster and take it a step further by trying to help him rebuild some trade value after months of fruitless efforts to find a new home via trade,” Stein wrote on July 26.”
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said they expect to open the season with LaVine in a conversation with media, per NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on July 15.
Stein went on to say that the Bulls’ “problem” is that rebuilding LaVine’s trade value would make the Bulls too competitive, costing them their top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick.
They currently owe it to the San Antonio Spurs for the DeRozan sign-and-trade in 2021.
With Ball, LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic also still on the roster, the Bulls run the risk of falling out of the top 10 and forfeiting their 2025-first-round pick. Stein added that Vucevic could have a trade market during the season.
That would still leave the Bulls to navigate Ball and LaVine’s presences, which could also stunt the development of Giddey and White.
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