Bulls Rumors: Lonzo Ball May Need 3rd Surgery on Knee Injury; Would Add 6-Month Rehab

Chicago Bulls star Lonzo Ball has already been ruled out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, and there's "a growing possibility" he could need a third surgery on his injured right knee, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Another surgery would sideline Ball for another six months, Wojnarowski added. Ball and the Bulls are consulting with specialists before making a final decision.

"The belief is that a third surgery is likely necessary to give the former No. 2 overall draft pick his best opportunity to play again, sources said," Wojnarowski wrote.

If Ball is sidelined for another six months, it's hard to imagine he'd be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season. A six-month timeline would have him returning sometime in September.

Ball hasn't played since Jan. 14, 2022, against the Golden State Warriors. He has already undergone two knee surgeries in the past 14 months, but has been unable to run, jump or cut without feeling pain.

The Bulls landed Ball in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in August 2021. He's in the second year of a four-year, $85 million deal.

Before Ball hit the shelf, signing him to a four-year deal seemed like a great decision for Chicago as he paired pretty nicely with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. In 35 games last season, he averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 42.3 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from deep.

Chicago went 22-13 with Ball in the lineup last season. However, the team finished sixth in the East with a 46-36 record before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.

With Ball sidelined this season, the Bulls have struggled mightily. They currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-36 record and are in danger of missing the postseason.

The Athletic's Darnell Mayberry even wrote in an article earlier this week that "belief is waning among players inside the Bulls locker room," which doesn't bode well for their playoff chances.

Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White have handled the majority of point guard duties for the Bulls this season. However, Patrick Beverley has taken over as the team's starting point guard since signing with the Bulls last month.

While this season seems like a lost cause for Chicago, it might be time to start thinking about how they can improve in 2023-24.