Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is predicted to play within the group’s preseason sport in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Ball’s return to motion could be his first NBA contest since Jan. 14, 2022 — a span of 1,006 days — due to continual knee points.
Per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, the Bulls are hoping that the 26-year-old can play within the group’s remaining two preseason video games, which incorporates the exhibition finale on Friday at residence. Chicago begins its common season on Oct. 23 on the street in opposition to one in all Ball’s former groups, the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ball was a full participant in Bulls coaching camp, however missed the group’s preseason opener in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers as he handled a COVID-19-related sickness.
Head coach Billy Donovan mentioned on Monday that he was impressed with the UCLA product’s resilience.
When Ball’s knee issues first started in January 2022, it was reported that he’d miss six-to-eight weeks.
On the time, the older brother of LiAngelo Ball and former Rookie of the Yr LaMelo Ball was having his finest season, averaging career-highs in steals per sport (1.8), minutes per sport (34.6), capturing proportion (42.3%) and three-point proportion (42.3%) in 2021-22.
Lonzo additionally completed his 35-game marketing campaign first on the group in assists (5.1) and second in rebounds per contest (5.4).
Ball was acquired by Chicago in August 2021 in a commerce with the Pelicans. He performed two years within the Large Simple after his pair of seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers to begin his profession.
