Bulls' Lonzo Ball Expected to Miss 2023-24 NBA Season amid Knee Injury Recovery

After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to a knee injury, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball isn't expected to suit up at all next season either, according to executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas.

"Our expectation is that he's not going to be back next season," Karnišovas said in a press conference following Thursday's NBA draft.

Ball hasn't played since January 2022 when he underwent a procedure to repair a torn meniscus and had several delays due to discomfort before having another surgery in March of this year, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

At one point considered one of the most promising young talents in the entire league after being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angles Lakers, Ball has had his career tarnished by injuries, especially since he's arrived in the Windy City.

Ball, 25, has only played 35 games since being traded to Chicago from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the 2021 season. He signed four-year, $85 million contract extension but hasn't been able to live up to it due to his lingering knee issues.

The future looks pretty bleak for the former First-Team All-Pac 12 selection. This is the third surgery he's had on his knee and at one point he told reporters he couldn't even walk up stairs without feeling pain.

"My main focus has been on returning to the court and getting to a place where I can rejoin my teammates," Ball said in a statement regarding his most recent surgery. "This has been a frustrating process, but I'm confident these next steps are the best path forward. The support of my family, friends, fans and medical staff throughout my recovery is what keeps me moving forward. I can't wait to get back to what I love doing most–playing basketball."

When Ball was on the court early in the 2021-22 season, the Bulls looked like real contenders to come out of the East, even going as a high as the No. 1 seed in the conference before his injury derailed the momentum,

That season he averaged 13 points per game to go along with 5.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds on career-high shooting from the field (42.3 percent) and three-point range (42.3 percent).

Now, he'll just be hoping to get back on the floor, much less return to that level.