Bulls expected to make tough decision with Lonzo Ball after All-Star break

Dec 19, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

2022-23 is shaping up to be another lost year for Lonzo Ball.

KC Johnson of NBC Sports said this week on the “Bulls Talk Podcast” that it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Chicago Bulls will announce after the All-Star break that the guard Ball is being shut down for the season.

“We’re fully expecting, either over the All-Star break, somebody sourcing it out, which you don’t even really need to source it out, or the team officially coming out of the All-Star break saying that Lonzo Ball is gonna be out for the season,” said Johnson. “I think we should acknowledge that because he is not even running or cutting yet. It’s February 17th. To me, it’s a foregone conclusion [Ball is shut down]. It’s just whenever the team makes it official.”

Ball, the former No. 2 overall pick, is dealing with a nagging knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the whole season thus far. He also missed the last three-and-a-half months of last season with the injury, meaning that we have not seen Ball play in over 13 months and counting now.

The good news is Ball is financially secure, having signed a four-year, $80 million deal (fully guaranteed) in 2021. But there has been some reported mystery over the failure of Ball’s knee to show improvement, and now it looks like the 26-33 Bulls will be without him for the entire season.