Lonzo Ball Injury Status for Blazers vs Bulls

Will perennially hurt Chicago Bulls reserve point guard Lonzo Ball suit up on Friday for what would be his first game against the Portland Trail Blazers since 2021?

According to the league's latest injury report, the 6-foot-6 UCLA product remains questionable to suit up through a right wrist sprain. Ball has been on the shelf with the injury since February 28.

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Still, Ball is taking steps to come back at some point before the end of the regular season.

Last week, Ball participated in a 5-on-5 workout for the first time since the injury, as Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune shared.

Lonzo Ball getting in some full court 5v5 work at the end of practice today pic.twitter.com/bBB9mZyEdm
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) March 26, 2025

At that point, Ball was hopeful that he would return in "another week," while conceding that he would be playing through pain in the wrist through the rest of 2024-25.

An upbeat and optimistic Ball said he needs “another week” and won’t be pain-free rest of season but plans to return. Can’t currently follow through on shot. https://t.co/7V4BGh1nG9
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 26, 2025

Poe initially noted that Ball was targeting this Portland clash for a possible return game.

Lonzo Ball will not play in tomorrow's game against the Lakers. Expects to need at least another week to get his conditioning up.

Still planning to return by the end of the regular season. Target return game could be next Friday against Portland.
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) March 26, 2025

Ball has been grappling with pain in his shooting follow-through virtually all year. It's too bad, because the left knee meniscus injury that required three consecutive surgeries and a two-and-a-half year layoff from games hasn't given him any further guff since he initially returned to action in October.

He first sat out 15 consecutive bouts through October and November with the right wrist sprain before returning to the floor, and now has been out for 16 straight games since February.

During his comeback season, the 27-year-old is averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 boards, 3.3 dimes, and 1.3 swipes across 35 bouts. Perhaps more tellingly than his modest scoring numbers in 22.2 minutes per, Ball's value is clear in the plus-minus numbers, thanks mostly to his defense. Chicago is posting a +5.5 net rating when Ball plays, and a -4.8 notch when he sits.

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Earlier this year, Ball inked a two-year, $20 million contract extension to stay with Chicago through 2026-27. The Bulls have a $10 million team option on the second season of that deal.

Per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago head coach Billy Donovan indicated recently that he's looking forward to a Ball return, in part because Donovan feels he's had to overplay Coby White thanks to the absences of Ball and Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu is done for the season following a left shoulder surgery. New trade acquisition Tre Jones also remains out with a left midfoot sprain.

“I get a little concerned with the minutes we’ve played some guys and the pace we’ve been playing, and with Coby, his minutes have been up there, so I think we need another backcourt player,” Donovan said. “I don’t know what the minutes restriction will be, but being able to plug him in and get him back into the fold will be good.”

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For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.