When will Lonzo Ball be back for the Chicago Bulls?

2023 will see more of Lonzo Ball’s fitness issues. After suffering an injury on January 14, 2022, the Bulls guard hasn’t seen any action for a year. Sadly, the player and the team’s expectations for the meniscus tear recovery process have not come true. And it only seems that they have turned for the worse.

Bull’s supporters are not shocked by the awful news. Ball had no return date, according to the team’s coach. Billy Donovan already stated back in January that Lonzo’s injury was not where the team wanted it to be on.

In order to fill the roster void left by Ball’s health problems, the club added PG Patrick Beverley.

What is Lonzo Ball’s injury? And what is his surgery update?

The ex-Pelicans player first injured the meniscus on his left knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix the issue but has continued with pain. And now the team announced this Thursday that Lonzo would undergo a third surgery.

This third intervention means that most of his 23/24 season is over. The team remains hopeful that the player will see some action, but it seems unlikely that he will.

In February, the Bulls announced that the player would not return in this 22/23 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. 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.”

A big blow for the player as he expected to return soon after missing one year. Before his injury, Ball averaged 13 pts for the team, and the Bulls allowed 8.6 points fewer than when he was out.