HOUSTON – It wasn’t the kind of injury update that screamed optimism, but it seldom does when Lonzo Ball is involved.
The Bulls guard did not make the trip west for the start of a six-city journey, instead staying back in Chicago with a member of the medical staff to work on his conditioning, according to coach Billy Donovan. Ball re-injured the same right wrist that cost him 15 games at the start of the season, and while it’s believed to be less serious than the first one, it’s now sidelined Ball for the last seven games.
While Donovan has not been given a timetable for a return, he did say that no one has indicated there would be any reason to shut Ball down for the rest of the season.
“I haven’t heard anything about him being shut down,” Donovan insisted on Saturday. “I think the intention that he’s doing right now is just trying to get himself back to playing. Doctors aren’t saying, ‘Hey listen, you gotta sit out.’ It’s just when he feels that he can do things on the court that he’s comfortable with. Like he can’t shoot right now, he hasn’t been able to do that … passing and dribbling. Until that subsides then he’ll be out, but I think he, in my conversations with him, it’s been everything to try and get back to playing. No one has said to me from above, ‘Hey, this goes on a little longer we’re going to have him shutdown.’ I have not heard that.”
The Bulls only have 15 regular season games left, and with Ball ruled out for this trip that means there will be 10 left when the Bulls get back home.
What the Bulls have learned about Ball, especially in the wake of him missing 2½ seasons with a left knee injury, he doesn’t exactly need a long runway to get ramped up and find a rhythm to his game. His passing and ability to pace a team is a gift that keeps on giving.
Still, they would like to get him more than a handful of games, especially if they are in serious contention for the play-in tournament like they are now.
“He’s really tough with what he’s been through physically with the knee, with the wrist injury earlier in the year, and then re-injuring it again, I think he knows, ‘I can’t go out there and be effective and productive for the group,’ and I think he’s working to get that resolved,” Donovan said. “The hard part is it’s been a really slow process.”
Donovan was asked if an offseason surgery was discussed with the wrist and did say there was no mention of that to this point.
Giddey up
Josh Giddey missed his second game with a sprained right ankle, but there was progress made during Saturday’s morning shootaround when the starting guard was able to sprint up and down the court.
Considering he was in a walking boot just four days ago, the hope was he would make a return on this road trip. Giddey sounded like he would, joking that he would be back by the time the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tipped off on Thursday.
Donovan wouldn’t officially rule him out of Monday’s game in Utah, but that sounded like a stretch. Realistically, the Bulls have a back-to-back in Phoenix and Sacramento starting on Wednesday, and while it’s unlikely he would play in both, he could return for one of those games.
Bragging rights
Tre Jones will get to face off against older brother Tyus on this trip when the Bulls play the Suns on Wednesday. Tyus currently has the season series edge after the Suns beat the Bulls in Chicago on Feb. 22.