Lonzo Ball’s Knee Injury Has The Bulls Contemplating Cutting Ties

The news doesn’t look promising for Chicago Bulls player Lonzo Ball.

On a recent episode of “Organizations Win Championships,” sports reporter Dan Bernstein of 670 The Score said the Bulls were doubtful that the upcoming surgery for Ball would enable him to continue his professional career, referring to private conversations about his knee issues in recent years.

In March, the NBA team announced that Ball, who has been with the franchise since 2021, would undergo a cartilage transplant on his left knee, his third surgery since joining the Bulls. Ball was ruled out for the rest of the 2022-23 season and predicted to miss most of the following season.

Bernstein said the Bulls were preparing for the loss of the shooting guard and his basketball skills.

“The other thing I heard is even though publicly there has been an expression of guarded optimism regarding a future for Lonzo Ball,” Bernstein said. “And there’s a reason why, because you’re pursuant to all kinds of union issues, why they haven’t asked for the salary exemption yet because they don’t want to send the message publicly that they’re done with him. They don’t think it’s likely that he ever plays again.”

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Ball as the No. 2 overall pick in 2017. He was then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019, where he played for two years before a sign-and-trade deal sent him to his current team, the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 35 games until his injury.

Lonzo is the oldest of the Ball brothers playing professional basketball. LiAngelo is in the NBA G League, and the youngest, LaMelo, plays for the Charlotte Hornets.