Lonzo Ball's Official Return Date Was Just Announced

Today is the 2024 NBA Media Day, during which players and coaches will conduct season-opening interviews, take team and individual photos, and, for some, try on new threads for the first time. Josh Giddey is the most notable Chicago Bull in the latest kit, representing their newest starting point guard. While Zach LaVine's answers will draw attention, Lonzo Ball's injury timeline update might mark the most important news of the day from the Bulls camp. Here's what the update was and who delivered it to the media.

Straight From The Front Office Leader Himself

It doesn't get much more direct from the source to an audience than Arturas Karnisovas confirming his player's injury timeline. Speaking on Ball, Karnisovas said all signs point toward an opening-day return from a 231-game, three-season absence. Remember, this stems from the knee injury the former UCLA guard suffered in January 2022. Nearly three full years later, it seems the Bulls have their guy back.

Ball confirmed in his interviews today that he's aiming for the same timeline but is hopeful he'll be ready by the start of the season. He's been cleared for contact 5v5 play for over a month and running, jumping, and doing non-contact workouts for over six months. Even though he won't be in the starting five, this is still a massive addition to Chicago's rotation.

Returning To His Former Self

As the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls during the first 35 games of the 2021-22 campaign, Ball was averaging just under 35 minutes per game, over five rebounds and five assists per outing, and was firing the three-point ball at a team-leading 42.3%. It's unrealistic to expect the 27-year-old guard to retain the volume he once was able to carry for the Bulls. Still, if his playmaking and three-point shooting efficiency can remain elite, Chicago's bench scoring will be better than it's been in the last five seasons.

Ball admitted today that he will be on a minutes restriction that'll ease him back onto the NBA stage. He also noted that he won't be playing on both ends of a back-to-back but could by the end of the season. This will make for a fluctuating lineup and nightly rotation changes from Billy Donovan's staff. Whatever the Bulls can get from their point guard will help them become a faster, more three-point-centric team moving forward.

Bulls fans are cautiously excited for Ball's highly anticipated return to play. Can he lead a second unit with his top-notch vision and steady, deep-range shooting abilities? He'll have young, explosive weapons running alongside him like Matas Buzelis, Ayo Dosunmu, and Julian Philips off the bench.