As the Chicago Bulls commence the 2023-24 season, they will once again be without their starting point guard, Lonzo Ball. This situation is familiar to the Bulls, as they were without Ball for the entirety of the previous season due to complications in his recovery from multiple knee surgeries. Lonzo Ball NBA Comeback is off the charts for the entirety of the 2023-24 season.
Ball’s injury has been one of the more disheartening narratives in recent seasons due to Chicago’s success when he was on the court. While the number of games played was limited to 35, Ball played a crucial role in the Bulls’ strong start to the 2021-22 season. The team even reached the top seed in the East before Ball’s injury setback.
The former second overall pick characterized it as a pivotal “what if” moment in his career during a guest appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young.” He expressed sympathy for the Bulls’ front office, acknowledging that they had assembled a team perfectly tailored to his style of play.
“It’s gonna be a big what if,” on the topic of Lonzo Ball NBA Comeback he said. “I feel bad just for the GM, just because I feel like they made the perfect team around me. That was the most I’ve ever been involved in an organization and I finally got the perfect team that I felt like could fit my game, play my way and really just do what I wanted to do. That injury — I’m still going through it right now — but that one messed me up early just because I feel like we really had a chance and never got to see what it was.”
Chicago’s offense revolved around Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. Ball served as the catalyst for Chicago’s offensive plays, distributing the ball to LaVine and DeRozan. He also exhibited a strong pick-and-pop dynamic with Vucevic and showcased reliability in three-point shooting, boasting a 42.3% success rate on more than seven attempts per game. However, it was Ball’s defensive prowess that truly propelled the Bulls. Alongside defensive specialist Alex Caruso, they effectively disrupted opposing offensive strategies, facilitating transition play and a faster pace.
During the 35 games Ball participated in, the Bulls achieved a 22-13 record, including a noteworthy 6-1 start to the season. However, once Ball was sidelined, the Bulls slipped from the top of the Eastern Conference to sixth place and ultimately succumbed to a five-game defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks in the initial playoff round.
Ball’s absence was acutely felt during the following season, as the Bulls secured ninth place in the East with a 40-42 record and were eliminated in the play-in round, missing the playoffs. Although Ball is set to miss the entirety of the upcoming season, he assured that he’s on track for a return.
“I’m just taking it day by day,” on the topic of Lonzo Ball NBA Comeback he said. “I just had a really big surgery, hopefully the last one I ever have to get but it’s a long process. I’m already out this whole next season — when I first got hurt we didn’t really know what it was. I’ve seen all types of different doctors and stuff and I was kind of just going up and down. That was really hard for me because I just didn’t know what the next day was going to be like. At least now I got the surgery, we got a plan moving forward, we’ve been on plan and I’m on track. Hopefully everything works out.”
While Ball’s absence will undoubtedly be felt on the court, the Bulls have taken steps to mitigate the impact by signing guard Jevon Carter during free agency. Carter’s defensive tenacity will be an asset in Chicago’s backcourt, and his three-point shooting proficiency—42.1% on four attempts per game in the previous season—adds another layer to his game. With the inclusion of Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White—both re-signed by Chicago this offseason—the Bulls have bolstered their backcourt depth, providing stability as Ball embarks on his extensive rehabilitation journey.
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