Lonzo Ball hasn’t played for the Chicago Bulls since March 2 due to a wrist injury. The pass-first guard has now missed 12 games.
That tally is about to hit 13 missed games, as according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune, Ball is ‘at least another week’ away from being back to game fitness.
“Lonzo Ball will not play in tomorrow’s game against the Lakers,” Poe wrote on X. “Expects to need at least another week to get his conditioning up. Still planning to return by the end of the regular season. Target return game could be next Friday against Portland.”
Ball has played in 35 games this season, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He’s shooting 36.6% from the field and 34.4% from deep. While his long-term absence in recent years has undoubtedly lowered his overall ceiling, he’s still a high-level guard who is a valuable member of the Bulls rotation.
As such, Billy Donovan will likely be hoping Ball can be close to 100% for when the Bulls potentially face the Miami Heat in the opening round of the play-in tournament.
Ball is Happy to Be Back on The Court With The Bulls
During a March 11 interview with Heavy on Sports, Ball discussed his struggles while out with a knee injury. He admitted that now, he’s glad to be back on the court and while difficult, his time away from the league has helped him grow as a person.
“It’s just a blessing man, to be honest. A lot of people wrote me off – for good reason. A lot of people didn’t think I would be here right now, still hooping. But the people around me did. I felt it,” Ball said. “The journey made me stronger. Got to dive into myself a little bit more away from hoop with the time off, and I just felt like I came out of it a better man. And just overall, just full of happiness, man. Just to be able to play again and be out there and do the things I love to do.”
Ball missed two and a half seasons with his knee injury. This is his first season back in an NBA rotation since hitting the injury report on Jan 14, 2022.
Ball Admits Bulls Were Supportive
Throughout his injury hell, the Bulls remained committed to Ball and getting him back on the court.
“They’ve believed in me. I think that’s helped me, definitely, along the process,” Ball said. “Very happy to be staying in Chicago, for sure. It just shows that the hard work pays off, man. I had my head down, I was very locked in, I was focused to come back and do something that hasn’t really been done before. And it’s been going great, man. No complaints. Like I said, the staff has been great, organization has been great, and I have nothing else bad to say, really. I’m just thankful that I’m able to play again.”
Ball recently signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the franchise. That deal is worth $20 million and has a team option for the 2026-27 season. Nevertheless, extending Ball’s contract is proof that the franchise still believes he can be a key part of what they’re trying to build.
So, while Ball will miss the March 27 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, his presence in the play-in tournament could be somewhat of a swing factor.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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