Bulls Receive Optimistic Lonzo Ball Injury Update

Jan. 14, 2022. That's the last time Lonzo Ball suited up for the Chicago Bulls. The former 2017 second-overall selection has been on the sidelines for over two years as he attempts to come back from a serious knee injury that has plagued him with multiple setbacks.

Fortunately, things have been looking promising for Ball this summer. The ex-UCLA point guard has spent the offseason ramping up his rehab and even participated in 5-on-5 drills last week. But even though things have been trending in the right direction, cautious Bulls fans are wondering if he'll be healthy enough by the time the 2024-25 NBA regular season begins.

Having said that, it appears that there isn't much to be worried about. If anything, the latest injury update is extremely encouraging.

Bulls News: Lonzo Ball Optimistic About 2024-25 Season

On Sunday, TMZ Sports reporters caught up to Ball at Los Angeles International Airport. When asked about his rehab and season-long outlook, the 6-foot-6 PG said that his recovery "is going well" and that Bulls supporters can expect to see him "back on the court."

Assuming there aren't any more setbacks, Bulls fans should feel encouraged by this update. Chicago's backcourt already boasts Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Ayo Dosunmu, so it's easy to see how adding a healthy Ball to the mix would provide a massive boost.

At the same time, it's been nearly three years since Ball last touched an NBA court. He played 35 games during the 2021-22 season, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals, and .423/.423/.750 shooting splits. His impressive performance was a big reason why the Bulls owned an Eastern Conference-leading 27-13 record (67.5%) at the time of his final game.

Interestingly enough, Chicago is 98-108 (47.6%) since he last suited up.

Regardless of how much upcoming action he sees, this coming season is a crucial one for the ex-Bruin. Ball is heading into the final campaign of the four-year, $85 million contract he signed after the New Orleans Pelicans traded him to the Bulls in August 2021. He exercised his $21.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season back in May.

After Chicago missed last year's playoffs with a 39-43 record, a healthy Ball could be what the team needs to return to the postseason. That will be an uphill battle, though, considering that FanDuel Sportsbook is currently projecting that the Bulls won't make the 2024-25 playoffs at -2000 odds — an implied probability of 95.2%.

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