Sixers Rival Bulls Will Miss Lonzo Ball for Months

The Chicago Bulls won't have Lonzo Ball available for quite some time.

Last season, the Chicago Bulls entered the Eastern Conference playoff picture as they bolstered their roster with several notable names from around the league.

Building around the All-Star Zach LaVine, Chicago scooped up former San Antonio Spurs All-Star DeMar DeRozan and landed former New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball.

Following a disappointing run with the Los Angeles Lakers, Ball found his footing in the league through two seasons with the Pelicans, averaging 14 points and five assists while knocking down 37 percent of his threes in 2020-2021.

Ball had another solid season during his first run with the Bulls. Through his first 29 games in a Chicago uniform, Ball averaged 13 points and five assists while knocking down 41 percent of shots from deep.

An injury forced Ball to miss five-straight games. While he returned to the court for six games, he went on to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. At this point, the setback continues to linger for Ball as the 2022-2023 NBA season approaches.

Earlier this week, Ball’s update on his knee was quite concerning. Not only did Ball mention that he’s struggling to run or jump, but he’s even feeling pain going up the stairs, according to Yahoo Sports.

Ball was expected to miss the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Ball will miss “at least a few months,” although there is confidence he’ll return at some point during the year.

Sources: There is confidence in Bulls guard Lonzo Ball's ability to return this season following left knee surgery on Wednesday that doctors believe addressed the issue. Ball is expected to miss at least a few months.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2022

Ball’s absence doesn’t necessarily break the Bulls, as they still have solid stars in DeRozan and LaVine. However, Chicago paid a lot to get Ball to join the roster, and now they are having a hard time seeing their investment pay off as the Eastern Conference grows stronger.

When the Philadelphia 76ers face the Bulls for the first time on October 29, Chicago won’t have the veteran standout on board. The earliest the Sixers could face Ball is on January 6, when the Bulls make a trip to South Philly. 

If not then, there will be a pair of games in late March between the Bulls and the 76ers, which could have playoff implications. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.