After enduring a grueling two-and-a-half-year absence and undergoing three knee surgeries, the Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has successfully reintegrated into the lineup, proving himself to be a valuable role player over 28 games.
Despite his contributions, Ball is striving for an expanded role in the team’s rotation, as reported by Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times and Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune.
Although the Bulls continue to handle his playing time cautiously, team doctors recently cleared an increase in his minutes restriction to 28, per Poe. Back-to-back games remain off-limits for the former No. 2 overall draft pick.
Head coach Billy Donovan emphasized the careful approach to Ball’s recovery: “Every stage, they’ve wanted to see how he’s managed the minutes along the way. So it started at 16, then up to 22, then we got to 24. And as long as he feels good and he’s responding, that’s the biggest thing.
“How does he look the next day? And if he does have any swelling or soreness, any difficulty, then they would start to monitor his minutes. But everything he’s done up to this moment with the restrictions that have been on him has been positive.”
Statistically, Ball’s current per-game numbers – 7.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds over 21.1 minutes – are career lows. His shooting percentages have also dipped to 36.9% from the field and 34.7% from beyond the arc, both below his career averages.
However, his impact remains significant. Much like during his impressive first season with the Bulls in 2021/22, Ball has positively influenced the team’s performance.
The Bulls have outscored opponents by 4.6 points per 100 possessions during his 590 minutes on the floor this season while being outscored by 6.1 points per 100 possessions during the 1,767 minutes without him.
As Ball continues his recovery and pushes for a larger role, his steady progress and on-court presence signal a promising trajectory for both his career and the Bulls’ season.
Bulls Notes: Ball, LaVine, Vucevic, Buzelis https://t.co/NXhkKGqxV9 pic.twitter.com/CxASYZVIct
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 1, 2025
