Officially Official: Lonzo Ball is Done for the Season
The Chicago Bulls made the announcement on Tuesday morning: Lonzo Ball is done.
After receiving a second surgery on his injured left knee in September, Ball will now officially miss the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign. While the organization originally expressed optimism in Ball’s ability to make a return after the All-Star break this season, it became abundantly clear in recent weeks that the point guard wasn’t progressing quickly enough in his rehab.
Indeed, an official statement from front office leader Arturas Karnisovas confirms that Ball has still suffered from discomfort when trying to ramp up to more advanced basketball activities. He also clarified that the goal will remain to get Ball back on the floor for the start of the 2023-24 season.
Here’s Karnisovas complete statement, which can also be found here:
“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities. Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023-24 season.”
The Bulls’ decision to target a buyout point guard and eventually sign Patrick Beverley also indicated that a Ball shutdown was on the horizon.
I don’t know what else there is to say at this point. My only real hope right now is that Ball can continue to move forward with his rehab and finally put this injury behind him. I don’t even really care about what it means for the Chicago Bulls at the moment, I’m just hoping that Ball will get to play the game he loves again.
Get well soon, Lonzo.
