Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Sprains wrist, out at least 10 days
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The Bulls announced Tuesday that Ball sustained a sprained right wrist in the first quarter of Monday's 126-123 win over the Grizzlies and will be re-evaluated in 10 days.
After having not played since January 2022 while recovering from three operations on his left knee, Ball made his triumphant return to the court during the preseason and had suited up in three of the Bulls' first four games of the regular season, averaging 4.7 points, 3.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 three-pointers in 16.0 minutes per contest. Though Ball is now slated to miss some more time, the silver lining is that the injury isn't related to his knee. However, even if Ball is cleared to resume on-court work once he's re-evaluated, he may require a short ramp-up period before the Bulls clear him for game action, and he's likely to operate on a minute restriction for much of the season. During Ball's upcoming absence, the Bulls could find more minutes for Ayo Dosunmu, Matas Buzelis and Dalen Terry off the bench.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Dealing with wrist soreness
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Ball is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Magic due to right wrist soreness.
Given his lower-body injury history, it's encouraging that Ball isn't listed with knee injury management. However, the veteran guard is still in danger of missing his second game of the season. The severity of the wrist issue remains unclear, but if it sidelines Ball, Ayo Dosunmu would be a candidate for more minutes off the bench.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Hands out six dimes Monday
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Ball closed Monday's 126-123 win over Memphis with six points (2-4 FG, 2-4 3Pt), one rebound, six assists and one block across 18 minutes.
Ball continues to play off the bench with a severe minutes restriction, but he's finding ways to make an impact every time he steps on the court. His assist-to-turnover ratio has been particularly impressive, as he's recorded 11 assists and just three turnovers through his first three games. Ball's fantasy upside will remain fairly low due to the restrictions regarding his playing time, but he's one player to keep close tabs on as soon as his workload increases.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Will play Monday
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Ball (knee) is available for Monday's game against the Grizzlies.
Ball sat the first half of Chicago's first back-to-back this season Friday versus Milwaukee, but he was back in action Saturday, posting three points (1-6 FG), five rebounds and one assist in 16 minutes during a loss to Oklahoma City. Ball will be limited to around 15 minutes a night for the foreseeable future as he works his way back to full strength.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Good to go against OKC
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Ball (knee) is available for Saturday's game versus the Thunder.
Ball sat out Friday's contest due to left knee injury management but is set to play on the second night of a back-to-back against Oklahoma City. Ball will likely play around the 14 minutes he received in Chicago's regular-season opener.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Sitting out Friday
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Ball won't play in Friday's game versus the Bucks due to left knee surgery injury management.
Ball returned to action Wednesday after more than a two-year absence due to knee injuries. However, the Bulls will play it cautiously with the 27-year-old guard on the first night of a back-to-back Friday. Ball should be able to suit up for Saturday's matchup with Oklahoma City, albeit on a minutes restriction.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Solid outing off bench
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Ball supplied five points (2-4 FG, 1-3 3Pt), two rebounds and four assists in 14 minutes during Wednesday's 123-111 loss to New Orleans.
Ball made his first regular-season appearance since January of 2022 on Wednesday after missing extended time with multiple knee injuries. The 26-year-old guard was on a minutes restriction and played exactly the 14 minutes that coach Billy Donovan expected he would. While Ball will likely continue to play limited minutes during the season, it was a good sign to see him back on the court healthy.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Will have major restrictions
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Coach Billy Donovan said Tuesday that Ball (knee) will likely play 14-16 minutes during Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Pelicans, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
It's safe to assume Ball, who saw game action during the preseason for the first time since January of 2022, will face heavy minute restrictions for the entire season. He looked sharp during his limited preseason action, showcasing the improved three-point shot he developed before knee injuries derailed his career. However, if he's consistently playing less than 20 minutes, it'll be difficult for Ball to crack fantasy radars in standard leagues.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Scores 11 points off bench
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Ball delivered 11 points (4-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt), three rebounds and three assists across 16 minutes off the bench in Friday's 139-137 preseason win over the Cavaliers.
Ball had another stong showing in the preseason finale and seems set to be part of the rotation on Opening Night. The 26-year-old has not played in a regular-season game since January of 2022, and he will likely be limited to begin the 2024-25 campaign, but he figures to see his workload increase as the season progresses.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Playing on restriction Friday
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Coach Wes Unseld said Ball (knee) will play under a minutes restriction in Friday's preseason finale against the Cavaliers, Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com reports.
Ball will suit up for the preseason finale as the club works him back to playing form before Opening Night. The 26-year-old has not played in a regular-season game since January of 2022, and he will likely be limited to begin the 2024-25 campaign.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Gets 15 minutes in return to action
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Ball notched 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-4 3Pt), one rebound, one assist, one steal and a blocked shot across 15 minutes in Wendesday's 125-123 win over the Timberwolves.
Ball's first appearance since January of 2022 exceeded expectations, as his knee injury didn't appear to be a major concern despite a brace that was clearly visible. Ball's injury was serious enough to require a meniscus transplant and cartilage transplant to repair his knee, so the Bulls will take things slowly with their former first-round pick. Absences in back-to-back games will likely be a regular occurrence for Ball this season, and while his return is a cause of concern for fantasy managers who are invested in Coby White or Josh Giddey, Ball's minutes will be limited for the foreseeable future.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Targeting Wednesday for debut
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Ball (knee) could return for Wednesday's preseason game against the Timberwolves, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports.
The Bulls are reportedly targeting this return date, barring any setbacks. Ball has been ramping up his activity in recent practices, but the Bulls wouldn't bring him back if they weren't confident in the health of his knee. Even if he's cleared, Ball will likely face heavy restrictions.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Not active for shootaround Saturday
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Ball is not expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Grizzlies, and he was held out of Saturday's shootaround due to knee soreness, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Ball has dealt with a litany of knee injuries throughout his career, and he has yet to make a return to game action since January of 2022. The 26-year-old was absent from shootaround, but coach Billy Donovan said it should not be viewed as a setback in his recovery, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. Ball is expected to make his return during the preseason, and he will likely be good to go for Opening Night.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Expects to return in preseason
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Ball (knee) said Friday he expects to play in two of the Bulls' final three preseason games, Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com reports.
Ball is expected to make his long-awaited return to game action before Opening Night. The 26-year-old has dealt with a litany of knee injuries that have held him out since January of 2022, but he's been active throughout training camp. Ball won't play Saturday versus the Grizzlies, meaning his next chance to suit up will come Monday against the Bucks.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Unlikely to play Saturday
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Ball (knee) is not likely to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Grizzlies, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
While Ball will probably not make his long awaited return Saturday, head coach Billy Donovan said that Ball is still working on a slow buildup to game readiness, meaning he may come back soon. If held out Saturday, his next chance to suit up will be Monday against Milwaukee.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Won't play Tuesday
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Ball (knee) won't play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Cavaliers, Chuck Swirsky of the Bulls Radio Network reports.
Ball has been scrimmaging at recent practices, but he's still not quite ready for his first game action since January of 2022. Given the lengthy layoff, Ball will certainly have major restrictions when he is cleared to play, which could come Saturday versus Memphis.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Iffy for Tuesday
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Ball (knee) is questionable to play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Cavaliers, Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com reports.
Ball took contact in Sunday's practice and continues to trend in the right direction. Coach Billy Donovan said he's still trying to ramp the guard up slowly, but he didn't rule Ball out from making an appearance Tuesday. All signs point to Ball returning to the court in the very near future.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Active during Friday's practice
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Ball (knee) was active for Friday's practice and participated in 5-on-5 scrimmages, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Ball is expected to make his return to game action on Opening Night, and coach Billy Donovan said Ball felt good and performed well against contact Friday. The 26-year-old has not played since January of 2022, but his return to contact bodes well for his comeback.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Targeting Opening Night
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Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas said Monday that he's hoping to have Ball (knee) cleared to play for Opening Night, Cody Westerlund of 670TheScore.com reports.
The Bulls are planning to bring Ball along slowly in training camp, and he may not do live 5-on-5 scrimmages as a precaution. It's worth noting, however, that Ball has played 5-on-5 in pickup settings. There have been several positive updates on Ball's health in recent weeks which has the Bulls excited for obvious reasons. According to the point guard, he's anticipating restrictions for this season, including not playing in both games of back-to-back sets.
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Bulls' Lonzo Ball: Playing full-contact 5-on-5
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The Bulls confirmed Wednesday that 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.
