What Lonzo Ball's Injury Status Means For Chicago Bulls Entering New Season
Signing Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan ahead of the start of the 2021-22 season, pairing them with the likes of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, the Chicago Bulls elevated themselves from a low-end team in the Eastern Conference to one that could compete with the best of the best.
Finishing 46-36, the Bulls finished with their best record since the 2014-15 season and they made the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but injuries limited their chances to be real championship contenders, especially due to the fact that Lonzo Ball only played in 35 total games.
Undergoing left knee surgery for a torn meniscus in January, Ball’s absence really had a massive impact on the Bulls simply because of the fact that he was their primary playmaker and had turned himself into the team’s best three-point shooting option.
Being able to create for the team’s three All-Star talents, as well as play off-the-ball and be a spot-up three-point shooter, Ball proved to be the “glue” to the Chicago Bulls during the 2021-22 season in the sense that he kept the offense flowing. With him on the floor, Chicago went 22-13 and were sitting atop of the Eastern Conference standings.
With him on the bench injured though, the Bulls struggled to move the ball offensively, ranking 19th in the league in assists per game, and they really were a two-man offense with LaVine and DeRozan carrying a heavy load for this team offensively.
While meniscus injuries usually present quick, easy recoveries, that has not been the case for Lonzo Ball. He has yet to resume full basketball activities and due to the fact that he is still dealing with discomfort in his left knee, Ball is in danger of missing training camp at the end of September and possibly the start of the 2022-23 NBA season.
With Ball sidelined right now, Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu are likely in line to continue seeing action at the point guard position, as is newly signed veteran Goran Dragic.
He may have only played in a total of 21 games a season ago, but Dragic is a proven veteran that can still score off-the-dribble and create opportunities for others, which is exactly what the Bulls have needed around their All-Star talents.
Playing for both the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets, Dragic averaged 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and shot 37.7% from the floor. For his career, he has shot 36.2% from three-point range.
All three of Caruso, Dosunmu and Dragic will see action at the point guard position in Ball’s absence, yet this injury still looms large over the Bulls as an organization.
Lonzo Ball is owed $40 million guaranteed over the next two seasons and he has a $21.3 million player option for the 2024-25 season. Should his injury continue to linger and have long-term effects, Ball may not be able to live up to the value on his current contract with Chicago and perhaps the worst part about him missing the start of the 2022-23 season is that the Bulls will not be able to build chemistry early on in the year with their full roster.
This team absolutely has the potential to make a deep postseason run given their great blend of experienced and youthful talents, yet the inconsistency they have faced at the point guard position could ultimately hold them back.
Alex Caruso is more of a defensive-minded player than he is a playmaker and facilitator offensively, Ayo Dosunmu is more of an athletic perimeter player than a true point guard and Goran Dragic is a 36-year-old that may not be able to exceed 20-25 minutes per game anymore.
As mentioned before, Ball’s ability to not only create for others, but be an avid three-point shooter out on the perimeter is what made the Bulls an extremely talented offensive team early on last season. With him out of the lineup, they are much easier to guard because teams do not have to worry too much about Chicago’s point guards getting involved offensively.
Turning 25-years-old in October, there is definitely a cause for concern in Chicago right now pertaining to Lonzo Ball and his long-term status as a potential high-impact player for what could be a championship contending roster.
