Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
This is the summer of the Chicago Bulls‘ back court. Once the NBA Finals are over and the 2022 NBA Draft takes place, all eyes will be on Zach LaVine.
LaVine’s impending free agency tour is the main stress on many Bulls fans’ minds as of late, and will continue to be until he makes a decision on whether or not to stay in Chicago.
Other than LaVine’s future, though, the biggest storyline will be the health of Lonzo Ball’s knee. It’s been nearly five months since Ball was sidelined due to a knee injury. That injury ended up with a meniscus surgery for Ball, and since then, he has not responded as well as he would have liked.
There is growing worry in regards to whether or not Ball will be the same guy, and if he’ll be able to suit up for opening night in the fall.
A second surgery for Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball could be in the works, but not just yet.
In a recent piece written for The Athletic, Darnell Mayberry stated that Ball’s camp has not signaled a second surgery is in their plans just yet. However, it isn’t out of the question.
Mayberry went on to write:
“It’s safe to say the 24-year-old Ball is more concerned with crafting a long career than targeting opening night.”
While the immediate future of Ball is what everyone is thinking about, it’s important to remember that he is just 24 years old. If he handles this recovery correctly, Ball will likely have a decade or more left in the NBA.
Last year was the first season in which this new and improved Bulls roster was together, so everyone was hoping for more continuity going into the 2022-2023 campaign. Without Ball, that continuity won’t be there. He is the catalyst for the Bulls both offensively and defensively. It was abundantly clear after he left the court last season.
If Ball does require a second surgery, it could push his return later into next season. However, the Bulls are fortunate to have a backup like Ayo Dosunmu who stepped in admirably for Ball last year. If Ball misses part of the regular season, and that’s worst-case scenario, then the Bulls will walk away fortunate.
Allowing Ball additional time to recover is more than feasible, so long as he’s fully healthy late in the season and for the playoffs next year.