Sam Smith worries about a "Derrick Rose syndrome" regarding Lonzo Ball's return from injury

The Bulls might need Lonzo Ball. But Lonzo Ball needs time.

Lonzo Ball underwent knee surgery on September 28th and was supposed to be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks. It's been nearly two months, and the Chicago Bulls are yet to offer a more detailed timeline for their point guard's return.

Holding on to the latest update

The moment Lonzo himself said "he can't run or jump," the organization knew to plan for an extended absence. Amidst the team's up-and-down start to the season, everyone can do nothing but hold on to an optimistic update Billy Donovan gave on Ball's return on November 4th.

"Don't have any timeline on when he'll really be able to ramp up, but things have progressed. And everything that I've gotten from the medical guys has been positive. Obviously, he's a ways away from running and cutting and doing all those things. But there is optimism that this hopefully has helped him," Donovan said.

Ayo Dosunmu and Goran Dragic have done a solid job filling in for Ball, but the lack of his two-way presence is something the Bulls are yet to address as they sit 12th in the East with an 8-11 record. 

The organization remains eager for the 25-year-old to return to the lineup. However, the key here is patience and Ball's long-term health.

Derrick Rose syndrome

The fifth-year point guard will have two years left on his contract after this season is over. Sure, the Bulls might be Lonzo Ball away from becoming a contender this year. However, that must not be the reason for the team to rush him back from injury, nor for everyone else to force him to return.

According to Sam Smith, something like that already happened in Chicago. The result was one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history.

"I worry about the Derrick Rose syndrome," Smith wrote per NBA.com. "For those who recall, the season after Derrick was injured in the 2012 playoffs, the media and fans became obsessed with Rose’s return to the point he was blamed for not returning, and before long the media and the community turned on him with the belief he didn’t want to play. Which was as erroneous as could be because no one in basketball ever returned from his injury in less than a year, and now especially players take a year for lesser injuries. But because Derrick never said much, the media speculation went into overdrive and carried the public along with it."

With the cloud of uncertainty looming over Lonzo's return date, the organization has been (too) quiet about their point guard's health. And at some point, they'll have to come out with something.

The alternative is a never-ending pile of speculative information, all centered around the comeback of the Chicago Bulls' potential savior. That in and of itself is along the lines of the aforementioned Derrick Rose scenario.

Because the Bulls might need Lonzo Ball. But Lonzo Ball needs time, with as little hype around his return as possible. Long-term-wise, that's the best thing for both sides involved.