-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Playing full-contact 5-on-5
The Chicago Bulls confirmed Wednesday that Lonzo Ball (knee) has started playing in full-contact five-on-five scrimmages and hasn't faced any setbacks, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.This is a massive hurdle for Ball to clear. The 2017 No. 2 overall pick hasn't played in an NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022 and has undergone three surgeries on his left knee during that stretch, including an experimental cartilage transplant for a new meniscus. Cowley notes that no professional athlete has ever returned to high-level competition after having that surgery. Ball picked up his $21.4 million player option for 2024-25, so the Bulls would certainly be incentivized to play him if he's healthy. However, it's unclear how he'll fit into Chicago's plans after the team traded for Josh Giddey this offseason.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Progressing well
Lonzo Ball (knee) has been cleared to do "pretty much everything on the floor" and is on track to participate in 5-on-5 drills in August, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.Vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas provided an update on Ball's status after the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and was optimistic Ball could be ready in time for training camp. Ball hasn't played since January of 2022 due to left knee issues that have required three surgeries, but he's been taking part in basketball activities and could be healthy enough to play in the 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old picked up his $21.4 million player option for the upcoming season.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Picks up option for 2024-25
Lonzo Ball (knee) has picked up the $21.4 million player option in his contract for the 2024-25 season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.Ball continues to work toward a potential comeback before he hits the open market next summer, as he signed a four-year, $80 million free-agent deal in 2021, so it was a no-brainer for him to pick up this option. Ball hasn't logged minutes at the NBA level since Jan. 2022, but both the player and the organization are hopeful he'll be able to step on the hardwood at some point during the 2024-25 campaign.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Hopeful to play in 2024-25
There is optimism that Lonzo Ball (knee) will be able to play next season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.Ball hasn't logged any NBA minutes since Jan. 2022 due to a string of knee injuries. While the 26-year-old guard has yet to play 5-on-5 or participate in any contract drills, there is still optimism that he will return to action in 2024-25. Ball has a $21.4 million player option for next season.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Begins running
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Friday that Lonzo Ball (knee) has begun cutting, sprinting and jumping in controlled, non-contact situations, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.The Bulls have exercised extreme caution with Ball's prolonged recovery from his third knee procedure since January 2021. Though he is merely running in a controlled setting, the activity seems to be a big step for the point guard in his recovery process. While he still presumably has several more hurdles to clear, the UCLA product is hoping to return at some point during the 2024-25 campaign.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Making progress, still no sprinting
Lonzo Ball (knee) isn't experiencing pain during his day-to-day activities, which include a lot of mobility work, but he hasn't resumed sprinting yet, Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago reports.Ball was expected to return to running in January, but all parties involved continue to proceed with caution. "Definitely doing much better in rehab," Ball said. "It's been a long process, obviously, longer than I'd like it to be. It's definitely cut out in stages and I keep checking off the boxes I'm supposed to and getting better each week." Coach Billy Donovan had similar sentiments: "He's doing different things on the court. He hasn't done any sprinting yet. I think everybody medically is pleased with the way it's progressing. Some of these movements he's doing now caused him pain before and aren't causing him pain. I know there was talk in January of him sprinting. I don't want to sit here and say he's behind schedule. I don't think that's the case because it's going well." Ball hasn't played since Jan. 2021, but he's staying positive and eyeing a return in 2024-25.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Positive update on knee
Lonzo Ball (knee) is expected to return to running in January, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports. "The pain that he was experiencing has been eliminated," head coach Billy Donovan said Thursday.While Poe notes that the Chicago Bulls still don't expect Ball to return this season, this is nevertheless an encouraging development for the No. 2 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, who hasn't played since midway through the 2021-22 campaign. Early in his career, Ball dealt with a handful of lower-body injuries, most notably a cartilage issue in his knee, which was addressed via a transplant procedure in March 2023. The plan is for Ball to accelerate his rehab within the next month, at which point the Bulls may have a better indication as to whether he'll be able to resume his NBA career. Back in October, Ball said at the Bulls' media day that he "definitely" plans to play again. The former UCLA standout has a $21.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season that he'll likely exercise this summer.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Still hopeful to resume career
Lonzo Ball (knee) said Monday that he's about halfway through the rehab process for the cartilage transplant surgery he underwent in March and is optimistic that he'll be able to continue his career, despite having already been ruled out for the 2023-24 season, ESPN.com reports. "I definitely plan on playing again," Ball said at the Chicago Bulls' media day. "After surgery three, I feel like it's going well so far -- no setbacks. So for me, it's just keep my head up, just keep doing the work."Ball's last NBA appearance came Jan. 14, 2022, and though he's set to miss a second consecutive season after undergoing a third operation on his left knee in a little more than a year, he's not yet ready to abandon hope on playing again. The 25-year-old said he plans on splitting the upcoming season between Chicago and Los Angeles while he continues his rehab program. Since Ball won't be regularly working out with the team, updates on where he stands in his recovery could be sparse in the months to come.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Confirms he'll miss 2023-24 season
Lonzo Ball (knee) said Monday during his appearance on the "From the Point by Trae Young" podcast that he'll miss the 2023-24 season, Jamal Collier of ESPN.com reports.Ball's statement isn't a surprise, as Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas had previously said in June that he expected the veteran point guard to miss a second consecutive season. However, Ball said during his podcast appearance that he finally feels "on track" in his recovery process after undergoing cartilage transplant surgery in March. The 25-year-old still has a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, but it's encouraging to hear a slightly positive update after a year marred by setbacks.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Not expected to play in 2023-24
Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said Friday that he does not anticipate Lonzo Ball (knee) playing during the 2023-24 season, Jamal Collier of ESPN reports.The most recent update from the Bulls came back in March, when the team announced that Ball would undergo another surgery on his left knee -- his third procedure on the same knee in roughly 14 months. Ball missed the entire 2022-23 campaign after playing in only 35 games the previous season. His last appearance for the Bulls came in January of 2022 before he was shut down midseason after posting 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.1 made threes (42.3% 3Pt) per game. While Ball is only 25, his NBA career appears to be in serious jeopardy. He remains under contract through 2023-24 and holds a player option for 2024-25.
Fantasy Points by Week
- PROJ
- FANTASY PTS
- Rost
- 5%
- Start
- 1%
- G Rank
- NR