With Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball facing a daunting injury return timeline, the Bulls may be prompted to rebuild their team in the near future.
Although Lonzo Ball has only spent four months on the court for the Chicago Bulls, his impact continues to loom over the organization.
The 25-year-old point guard hasn’t played an NBA game since suffering a knee injury against the Golden State Warriors on January 14, 2022.
In the 14 months that followed, he has faced two knee surgeries and numerous setbacks. Now, it appears that Ball’s long road to recovery could be extended even longer.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is a “growing possibility” that Ball could be facing a third surgical procedure on his right knee. If Ball does undergo surgery, it would require another six months of “recovery and rehabilitation,” per Wojnarowski.
With Ball out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, the Bulls are left with tough questions regarding the future of their once-promising team.
Lonzo Ball injury return timeline upends Chicago Bulls aspirations
While Lonzo Ball has shown the potential to become a perennial All-Star, injuries have plagued his young career and derailed his tenure with three different NBA franchises.
During his rookie season in 2017, Ball missed 30 games due to shoulder and knee injuries. In 2018, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus. Now, the complications from the meniscus tear he suffered in 2022 are keeping Ball off the court and threatening his career with the Chicago Bulls.
As of now, Ball has only played in 252 NBA games, missing 45 percent of possible games he could have played. Bulls fans are familiar with tragic injuries to their rising stars, as they watched significant knee injuries disrupt the career of hometown hero Derrick Rose.
When Ball was injured last January, the Bulls were the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference with a 27-13 record. By the end of the regular season, they had fallen to a 46-36 record, winning just 19 of their final 43 games without Ball. The Bulls endured a quick out in the playoffs as they consistently fell behind the Milwaukee Bucks during a 4-1 series. This season, the Bulls don’t have the early-season boost they enjoyed last year, falling to No. 11 with a 30-36 record.
Realizing that Ball would be sidelined indefinitely, the Bulls signed veteran point guard Patrick Beverley this February to mitigate the damage of Ball’s absence. The Bulls are left in a difficult position with Ball, who signed a four-year, $85 million extension upon his August 2021 acquisition. Ball currently has $41.9 million left on his contract, the second year of which is a player option.
Beverley isn’t a viable long-term option, meaning that the Bulls may turn to free agency to seek better alternatives at the point guard position. Pippen Ain’t Easy’s Austin Carroll points out the best available free agent fits for the Bulls roster, suggesting big names such as James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Fred VanVleet, among others. One suggestion would create a full-circle moment for the Bulls franchise: the potential return of Derrick Rose.
While some Bulls fans are rooting for a full-scale rebuild, tanking in 2023 would make their trade with the Orlando Magic even more lopsided, as the Bulls traded a top-4 protected first-round selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The current Bulls roster was built as a win-now team, and without a playmaker like Ball, the roster lacks the firepower needed for a playoff push. This is why NBA observers are suggesting trades, such as Bleacher Report’s Zack Buckley, who suggested shipping a package deal including DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso to the New York Knicks.
The Bulls roster is not completely void of talent, however. Retooling the team around Zach LaVine could be a wise decision that allows the Bulls to build a strong team without deconstructing their entire roster.
LaVine has developed his game and leaned on his strengths. He has used his rare athleticism and aggressive approach to get to the rim with great dribble penetration and make acrobatic finishes. He can score from anywhere on the court and create nightmares for defenders.
In 30 games since the start of 2023, LaVine has averaged 27 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from deep.
Yet, if Ball can return by October — and if the Bulls can hold on until then — perhaps Chicago can still keep their dreams of glory alive.