Lonzo Ball, the veteran point guard for the Chicago Bulls, has faced a tough time with injuries during his tenure in the Windy City. Despite securing a hefty four-year, $80 million deal, the 6-foot-6 UCLA alum has only played in 38 out of 250 possible regular-season games. Over the last two seasons, he’s missed considerable time due to three surgeries on his left knee to repair a meniscus tear.
Now, at age 27, Ball finds himself sidelined again, but hopefully not for too long. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he has sprained his right wrist, and the Bulls expect him to miss at least the next 10 days.
Bulls say Lonzo Ball suffered a right wrist sprain and will miss at least 10 days.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 30, 2024
Ball has already been logging limited minutes off the bench, with the Bulls likely hoping to boost his trade value while he rehabilitates his game. In his brief appearances, Ball is putting up a career-low 4.7 points, shooting 35.7% overall and 33.3% from three, alongside 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Read more: Lonzo Ball Reacts to First Healthy Bulls Game Since January 2022
These numbers are well below his career averages of 11.8 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds over 255 regular-season games (239 starts). Surprisingly enough, the Bulls have started the 2024-25 season decently at 2-2, thanks to guards Zach LaVine, Coby White, and Josh Giddey stepping up.
Despite his injury history, Ball’s skill set as a versatile defender makes him valuable for Chicago, although his sporadic playing time has limited his impact in head coach Billy Donovan’s lineup. Ball was drafted second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, ahead of several future stars.
Though he hasn’t reached All-Star status, Ball had started to shine with the New Orleans Pelicans before his knee issues derailed his progress. He was part of the major trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers, contributing to their championship run alongside LeBron James.
Injuries have plagued Ball throughout his career, as he has only surpassed 55 games in a season once. With his recent wrist sprain, it’s anticipated he’ll return to the Bulls soon. However, his presence seems more like a bonus rather than a necessity for a team that appears to be entering a rebuilding phase, especially after trading away key players like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso in preparation for the 2025 NBA Draft.