Report: Bulls have serious concerns about Lonzo Ball
Mar 26, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball warms up before their game against the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls had to shut down Lonzo Ball in early April, and the team apparently has serious concerns about the point guard’s knee injury.
Ball sustained a small meniscus tear in his left knee in mid-January. He tried to ramp things up as he aimed for a return later in the season, but he suffered a setback in late March. The Bulls had to shut Ball down in early April after he experienced more discomfort when he tried to ramp up again.
David Kaplan, a host on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, says the Bulls have serious concerns about Ball. The team apparently is concerned that Ball’s knee is not getting better and that he continues to have pain whenever he ramps things up.
https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1526215768093995008
Kaplan’s comments come a few weeks after Ball said his knee wasn’t improving.
Lonzo Ball said he's "kind of a standstill right now" and will visit another specialist because he still has pain in his knee.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 28, 2022
Bulls coach Billy Donovan expressed frustration about the situation.
Billy Donovan is worried for Lonzo Ball's ailing knee and shares the frustration.
Donovan: "There's no answer to why he's feeling discomfort in his knee."
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) April 29, 2022
Was Ball misdiagnosed at first? Did he have an additional injury that was missed? Or does he need another procedure? Those are all questions the Bulls are likely pondering.
The 24-year-old guard was acquired by the Bulls in a trade with New Orleans last year. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals over 35 games before getting injured.