It is official, Lonzo Ball will not be returning to the Chicago Bulls lineup this season and subsequent post-season. His rehabilitation process has been shut down and he is now ‘OUT’. With him now having to bow out, we could see the same for the struggling Chicago Bulls in the NBA playoffs.
Chicago was the number 1 seed in the east at multiple points in this season. However, since the all-star break, they have slid down to the 6th seed. Chicago has won 7 games and lost 12 games since the break. They got themselves a guaranteed playoff spot but not a high seed. And one of the biggest reasons has been Lonzo Ball’s absence.
Lonzo Ball is out for the season
On January 14th, Lonzo Ball had to undergo surgery on his left knee that was supposed to keep him sidelined for 6-8 weeks. However, on March 22nd, Lonzo Ball suffered a major setback which had to stop all ‘running’ based exercises. That added to a timeline that already didn’t seem great for Chicago and Lonzo. But the hope was still there for Lonzo to join the team before the NBA playoffs.
Tonight, the situation hit a new low. Ball is expected to be ‘shut down for the remainder of the season due to continuous discomfort and a bone bruise in the knee.
Sources: Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to be shut down for the remainder of the season. Ball has been rehabbing from meniscus surgery in late January, but continues to feel discomfort amid several recovery methods to return to action and a bone bruise in his knee.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 5, 2022
Lonzo Ball this season has played a career-low in games. His few games played per season throughout his career shows that he’s deserving of the ‘injury prone’ title. However, he was carrying the defense, pace, and facilitating the offense through his assists and spacing. He was averaging a career and team-high 3 point percentage. The loss has been astounding for Chicago and truly have lost their spot for contention after this news broke.
How far could the Bulls realistically make it without Lonzo Ball this season?