Bulls expect PG Lonzo Ball to miss entire 2023-24 season
The reality that the Chicago Bulls won't have point guard Lonzo Ball for the entire 2023-24 season finally set in on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago's president of basketball operations, confirmed that the team doesn't expect Ball to play this upcoming season.
"Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season and he’s going to continue on his recovery," Karnišovas said. "If he comes back, it would be great. But we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s not going to be back next season."
The news is certainly heartbreaking for the Bulls, but it doesn't come as a surprise. Ball underwent a third surgery on his left knee in March — this time a cartilage transplant — that many believed would knock him out for most or all of next season. Ball reportedly couldn't run or jump after his second surgery this past September, which likely led him to undergo a third procedure.
Ball hasn't played basketball since Jan. 14, 2022, when he suffered a meniscus tear that required surgery. The Bulls shut Ball down for the rest of the 2021-2022 season after only 35 games. He averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists during his first season with Chicago after a four-year, $80 million sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Bulls will have to make do without Ball again this year with plenty of questions surrounding the team. Trade speculation around Zach LaVine will almost assuredly resume, especially after reports surfaced this past December that LaVine wasn't getting along with the team's front office or fellow star DeMar DeRozan.
