Lonzo Ball doesn't have a timeline for a return, says Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President Arturas Karnisovas

The uncertainty regarding Lonzo Ball remains.

© Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls' elimination from playoff contention this season has opened the door for many questions to be asked. One glaring issue, in particular, involves the availability and the future of once-prized point guard Lonzo Ball, who recently underwent surgery for the third time in his Bulls career to correct a longstanding knee issue that has sidelined him since January 2022.

The Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations, Arturas Karnisovas, commented on the Ball rehabilitation schedule by saying he does not know what the timeline for Lonzo 's return is.

No timeline for a return

Karnisovas said the oft-injured guard does not have a projected time to return after he just underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee last month. The procedure was done with the hopes of providing a solution to the knee troubles that Ball has encountered for over a year now.

Injury Update: Lonzo Ball will undergo a cartilage transplant in his left knee. He will remain out indefinitely.

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— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 16, 2023

"It's difficult to project now because obviously (Lonzo Ball) had surgery in March, so I don't know what his timeline is right now," said Karnisovas during his exit interview. "In terms of timeline, I don't have that timeline right now because he just had his procedure."

Confident Ball will be back

The doubts surrounding Ball's availability greatly impacted the Bulls' roster moves, as Karnisovas admitted he was hesitant to make any transactions until he had more clarity regarding the UCLA product's timeline and subsequent availability. With Ball expertly manning the point guard position at the start of the 2021-2022 season, the Bulls ran off to a 22-13 start and were one of the league's best teams.

However, when Ball went down, the Bulls were forced to make do with a carousel of guards, including sophomore Ayo Dosumnu and veterans Alex Caruso and Pat Beverley. Despite the uncertainty about Ball's future, Karnisovas expressed optimism for his return but added that they will have to make adjustments.

"I have confidence that he's going to come back," Karnisovas said. "I don't know his timeline, but we're going to make adjustments and tweaks to the roster to address that."