Bulls officials continue to be optimistic about the progress Lonzo Ball has shown this summer, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Ball, who is trying to return from left knee issues that have sidelined him since January of 2022, has recently been playing in 5-on-5, full-contact scrimmages and hasn’t experienced any setbacks.
Cowley notes that Ball has undergone three knee surgeries since his last NBA game, including an experimental cartilage transplant that gave him a new meniscus. Cowley states that no other professional athlete has been able to resume playing following this procedure.
Ball has been slowly increasing his basketball activity, starting with 1-on-1 games. There are still more hurdles for the 26-year-old point guard to clear, including a return to NBA conditioning and adapting his body to the physicality of the game. The ideal scenario for the Bulls, according to Cowley, is for Ball to play well enough at the start of the season so they can find a taker for his $21.4MM expiring contract. He’s likely to be a backup on a strict minutes restriction as long as he remains in Chicago.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- In the same piece, Cowley cites a team source who said the Bulls projected Josh Giddey to be their primary ball-handler when they acquired him from Oklahoma City. Cowley states that the organization views Giddey as similar to Ball because he has exceptional size for a point guard and he can rebound and push the ball up-court. Members of the Bulls’ front office traveled to watch Giddey at the Olympics, where he posted 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in four games for Australia. He also shot 47.4% from three-point range, addressing one of the biggest concerns about his game in OKC.
- The most significant question facing the Pistons heading into training camp will be how to use Isaiah Stewart, who’s entering the first season of a four-year, $60MM extension, says Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Langlois notes that Stewart played primarily at power forward last season, but Detroit has limited options on its front line, so Stewart may be the primary backup to center Jalen Duren even if he’s in the starting lineup. Simone Fontecchio and newly signed Tobias Harris are both capable of being stretch fours in smaller lineups, Langlois adds.
- The signing of Gary Trent Jr. fills a hole in the Bucks‘ starting lineup and gives the team some “youthful athleticism,” Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel says in a video assessing the team’s offseason.
Detroits obsession with Isaiah Stewart will baffle me forever, if you have to defend Anthony Mason in 1996 I get it, but he is nowhere near a 15 mil a year player, he is a good backup C who can be the teams enforcer if needed, he has no other ceiling
15m per year ?! Lol. I remember Boston wanting him. Detroit should have definitely finessed them, but like you said they’re obsessed.
I bet your favorite player hasn’t tried to fight Lebron
Yes, when I think of Gary Trent I think of “youthful athleticism”
When you have Middleton, Lillard and Lopez all currently main pieces of your roster, yes.
And compared to some of the guys they’ve had recently-Beverley, Crowder, etc, also yes.
Ball is finished. Replacement knee Cartilage doesn’t work for a basketball player. Time to move on. Cancel him and get the insurance.
Even if the Bulls can move Ball for a bad PF expiring contract to match up having a bad PF is better than having NO PF on the team.
I know Giddey doesn’t sniff 47% from the 3 point line in Chicago, But if he improves that part of his game anywhere near that the sky is the limit, Buzelis needs to work on his shot also but the Bulls could improve their long range shooting by a bunch if that happens. Plus get Vujevic to stop shooting his 3 point bricks either by moving him or getting him to stop shooting them. Bulls shooting coach is gonna earn his pay.
The 3pt line in the International is shorter distance by 2-3ft. Not sure why the article neglects to mention that.
true, but the international line is pretty much the same as an NBA corner 3. giddey only needs to get to league average to be a much more effective scorer and facilitator, so it’s a good sign.
He still hasn’t played 5 on 5 yet?! I wouldn’t be suprised if he never plays again. That’s what happens when you do too many surgeries. It took my knee 2 years to heal after a scope. Had he just taken his time to rehab instead of trimming the meniscus everytime he had a set back. He probably would have been ready by now.
#badshoes