Lonzo Ball Out for Season, Bulls Announce

The guard hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 14, 2022.

The Bulls announced officially on Tuesday that guard Lonzo Ball is not expected to play at all during the rest of the 2022–23 season.

Ball hasn’t played a game since Jan. 14, 2022 when he left a game with left knee soreness. From there, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. He is still recovering from a bone bruise and meniscus injury in the left knee.

As of now, Ball is expected to return for the 2023–24 season.

“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo 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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However, the news of Ball not returning this season is nothing new. Bulls beat reporters, such as NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson, have been reporting the news for weeks. Now, the news is official from the Bulls organization.

The Bulls signed guard Patrick Beverley to the team on Monday. He will join the point guard rotation with second-year player Ayo Dosunmu and veterans Alex Caruso and Goran Dragić.