Lonzo Ball Misses Bulls’ Preseason Opener, But This Time, It’s Not Because Of His Knee

October 9, 2024

CLEVELAND — Lonzo Ball‘s long-awaited return to the Bulls hit another snag, but this time it wasn’t his troublesome knee. After being sidelined for over two years, many expected Ball to miss the Bulls’ preseason opener due to lingering knee issues. Instead, it was COVID-19 that kept him off an NBA court.

According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ball’s bout with the virus took a toll on his conditioning, setting him back in his return.

“He probably lost out on working out for more than a week,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Lost some weight, lost some strength. We’re going to be cautious with the buildup.”

Though Ball missed the opener, Donovan still expects him to suit up at some point this preseason.

“It’s going to be based on practices and load management,” Donovan said. “The best decision is just to keep building him up.”

The silver lining? It’s not his knee. For a player who’s been sidelined since January 2022, that’s a small victory in itself. But with the season approaching, Chicago fans are eager to see Ball back on the court. For now, they’ll have to wait a little longer as he works his way back to full strength.

In his absence, the Bulls managed to pull off a 116-112 win over the Cavaliers, with their next matchup set against the Grizzlies on Saturday. All eyes remain on Ball’s potential return.

Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks for Chicago in 2021-22 in 35 games, shooting 42.3% from the field, 42.3% on 3-pointers and 75.0% from the free-throw line.

The Bulls missed the playoffs in 2023 and 2024 without Ball, who underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee. He received a meniscus transplant from a donor.