The Chicago Bulls are starting to become whole again. However, they will non exist fully healthy until Lonzo Brawl returns, and the starting point guard is nevertheless a ways away.

Alex Caruso'southward return to the rotation last week proved a welcome sight for NBA fans in the Windy Urban center. Second-yr forward Patrick Wiliams has as well made progress as of late. Ball continues to rehabilitate from a torn meniscus, but a preexisting bone bruise has lengthened his timeline.

Judging past caput coach Billy Donovan'southward comments earlier Chicago's loss to the Sacramento Kings, the 24-yr-onetime will probable remain out of the lineup for some time.

Lonzo Ball put upwardly terrific stats earlier sustaining a torn meniscus

Ball gave Chicago everything it could enquire for from a starting point guard after he inked a four-year deal with the Bulls this past offseason.

In his starting time 35 games, the erstwhile UCLA star averaged 13.0 points, 5.iv rebounds, 5.1 assists, i.viii steals, and 0.9 blocks. He provided the Bulls with much-needed spacing and defensive playmaking, shooting 42.three% from beyond the arc on 7.4 attempts per contest while ranking among the league leaders in deflections and loose assurance recovered.

Indeed, Brawl set up a celebrated pace early in the campaign. But he ran into trouble in January.

The Chino Hills native missed several games with a os bruise in his human knee. Eventually, farther tests revealed that he suffered a torn meniscus and would need to undergo surgery. He has since missed Chicago's last 28 games.

Ball has begun running. Notwithstanding, he has yet to progress to sprints, and the bone trample is making his rehabilitation process more complicated.

Billy Donovan indicated that the bone bruse is belongings Ball back

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball celebrates a basket during an NBA game against the Detroit Pistons in January 2022
Lonzo Ball smiles after making a three-point shot during a game confronting the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 11, 2022 | Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Lonzo Ball'southward recovery from the torn meniscus is apparently going well. However, his timeline remains uncertain.

Donovan said Monday (h/t NBC Sports Chicago) that the bone trample Ball dealt with before undergoing surgery on the meniscus is starting to heal. Nonetheless, he believes that issue is the crusade for some of the Bulls guard's pain equally he tries ramping upward the physical activity.

"I don't call up there's any setbacks. I recall the biggest thing [Ball'due south] dealing with right now is before he went in in that location, the one matter that definitely that came back on the MRI was a bone bruise. And I think that that bone bruise is definitely healing. Information technology's getting meliorate. But I do think that that's where there's probably been some hurting."

–Baton Donovan on Lonzo Brawl's recovery

Although Ball has begun incorporating lateral movement, he has yet to do so at total speed. Until he can get in that location, the fifth-twelvemonth veteran will not receive clearance.

Along those lines, Donovan stated that the team does not accept a target date for Ball's render.

"He'southward progressing and getting better. It'due south probably been a petty scrap slower because of what he's dealing with with that (bone bruise). But he'southward not a guy that I have any thought of when he'd exist back until he tin get to a signal where he can dart."

–Donovan on Brawl's eventual return

The Bulls take gotten strong production at the point thanks to the emergence of rookie Ayo Dosunmu. Nonetheless, Ball's continued absence has felt all the more glaring in recent weeks.

The Bulls desperately need Zo'southward skill set up

Chicago however needs assist in the defensive backcourt. More chiefly, the Bulls need more perimeter shooting.

The Bulls are ii-half dozen since February. 26. In that time, they rank 14th in three-point percent (35.9%), per NBA.com. Ranking nearly the middle of the league might not seem like a bad thing. Merely the effect is that Chicago has averaged the lowest number of attempts (24.four) in that span, and information technology isn't getting to the complimentary-throw line a whole lot either.

Those stats bespeak the accent on mid-range scoring. That isn't exactly ideal, given DeMar DeRozan's efficiency has cratered in the terminal few games, and Zach LaVine has struggled to play through articulatio genus soreness.

Typically, Lonzo Ball provides an outlet because of his grab-and-shoot stats.

According to NBA.com, Brawl shot 42.5% on catch-and-shoot triples earlier the injury. He alleviated some of the pressure on DeRozan and LaVine as a guy who could besides knock downwards triples off the dribble and in transition. Without him, the Bulls are struggling to find spacing and institute consistency from deep.

The Bulls have also had early-game issues with turnovers. That'southward where Zo'due south handle and ability to orchestrate the crime could otherwise make an impact.

Chicago is sorely lacking in areas where Ball excels. Merely the Bulls will accept to wait a while longer until he returns to the court.

Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted.

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