NBA: Chicago Bulls' Lonzo Ball expected to miss out entire upcoming season

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to miss out the entire upcoming 2023-24 NBA season, informed Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas. Ball is still recovering from a knee injury which he had in January 2022 and have had three surgeries for the same.

“Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he's not coming back next season and he's going to continue on his recovery," said in a press conference on Thursday after the 2023 NBA Draft. "If he comes back, it would be great,” added Karnišovas.

In his latest surgery in March, Ball went in for cartilage transplant - his third procedure in 14 months on the same knee. Karnišovas, although said that he's 'recovering nicely' but 'doesn't think he'll be back next season.'

Ball, who last played on January 14, 2022, suffered a meniscus tear in left-knee during the game against the Golden State Warriors. He had undergone arthroscopic surgery in January 2022 itself and was expected to return in 6-8 weeks but felt discomfort during the rehab. The guard didn't play in rest of the 2021-22 season.

Ahead of the 2022-23 season's start, Ball went under the knife once more in September for arthroscopic debridement in the same knee. The Bulls, however, took decision to not make him return to the court ever in the season as Ball couldn't play without pain.

Ball, who made his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers after being No.2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans before 2019-20 season. The guard was then traded to the Bulls ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Karnišovas, meanwhile, is confident that Ball will make a return at some point in future. "Eventually you are going to see him on the basketball court," Karnišovas said on Thursday.

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