The Chicago Bulls shut down Lonzo Ball for a second consecutive season Tuesday as the point guard continues to struggle with discomfort and pain in his left knee.
The decision was made 13 months after Ball originally injured his meniscus last January.
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“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities,” executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas said in a statement.
“Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023-24 season.”
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Ball hasn’t played basketball or been pain-free since Jan. 14, 2022, when he suffered a small tear in the meniscus of his left knee. He underwent an initial surgery two weeks later before beginning a flummoxing recovery process that was also slowed by a bone bruise in the same knee.
The Bulls shut Ball down on April 6, hoping the offseason would provide enough time for his discomfort to dissipate. Instead, the guard said he continued to experience pain even when going through basic movements around the house, such as walking up the stairs.
Ball underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure on Sept. 28. Both procedures were performed in Los Angeles with coordination between the Bulls medical staff and Ball’s personal doctors.
Since then, any updates have remained bleak. Ball has still not returned to running, jumping or cutting at a serious level for a professional athlete. While he has made some progress — such as being able to jog on a treadmill and jump enough to lightly dunk from under the rim, which he documented on Instagram — Ball still can’t play basketball.
The focus for Ball now pivots to next season as he attempts to return to the starting lineup for the Bulls. The guard is under contract through the 2024-25 season, a fact that has hampered the team’s flexibility in trade maneuvering.
