The Chicago Bulls reportedly fear Lonzo Ball may never play in the NBA again after undergoing a cartilage transplant.
Ball, 25, last played an NBA game in January 2022 before suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee later that month. At the time, the Bulls guard underwent arthroscopic surgery, and the expectation was that returning within six-to-eight weeks would be realistic.
But, after playing only 35 games that year, Ball was shut down for the season in early April due to still experiencing pain two months later. The hope was that he would be ready for the season of last season, but that did not go to plan, and more surgery, an arthroscopic debridement, took place in late September.
That four-to-six-week timeline for a return after surgery at the start of training camp came and went. As further weeks passed and the discomfort remained, the Bulls again shut Ball down for the season in February.
A month later, a third surgery on the troublesome left knee followed as he underwent a cartilage transplant. Reports at the time effectively ruled Ball out of the entirety of the 2023/24 season while remaining optimistic about an eventual return to the court. ESPN, though, suggested there were concerns about the former number two overall pick continuing with his basketball career.
Now, it seems those fears exist within the franchise. The Organizations Win Championships podcast has shared what the feeling inside the team is.
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They claim that the feeling internally contrasts with the cautious optimism communicated publicly, as the thinking is that the likelihood of a return to play is not high. That should perhaps not be surprising.
No NBA player who has previously undergone the same procedure has ever been back on the court. Going under the knife for a cartilage transplant is rare for professional athletes.
A similar outcome would be devastating to both Ball and the Bulls. When fit, the lead guard impressed during those first and, potentially, final 35 games in Chicago as the retooled team also excelled. He averaged career-highs in minutes played and shooting percentage from inside and behind the arc as well as in steals and blocks.
One noted fan of Ball's game is former Los Angeles Lakers teammate LeBron James. During the Anaheim, California native's sophomore season, at the end of which he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as LA acquired Anthony Davis, he spoke highly of the youngster.
“Sometimes he doesn’t realize how great he is,” James told ESPN. “The things that he possesses out on the floor, when Zo realizes how good he is on the floor, it makes him a very dynamic player."
The Bulls will have their fingers crossed that such dynamism remains in Ball and returns to the court over the coming seasons. But, at this stage, getting him back healthy would be a bonus rather than the expectation.
