Nearly two years after his last NBA game, Lonzo Ball is beginning to take the next steps to return to the court — and eventually the Chicago Bulls lineup.

Ball has not played basketball since Jan. 14, 2022, when he suffered a meniscus injury that led to extensive, ongoing complications in his left knee. He underwent three surgeries over the past two years, including a cartilage transplant in March. Ball had been ruled out for a return this season.

We’re tracking all the news around Ball.

Jan. 9: Should the Bulls include Ball in trade packages for Zach LaVine?

Attempting to trade maximum contract star Zach LaVine has been the clear focus for the Bulls front office since November, when the star reportedly made a first-time request to explore a trade away from Chicago. With a month left before the Feb. 8 trade deadline, Ball could emerge as a potential addition to beef up trade packages centered on LaVine.

According to a report by Marc Stein, the Bulls are potentially open to using the insurance coverage currently accompanying Ball’s contract as an incentive to bundle into trade packages for LaVine.

Ball would not offer an immediate lift to any team in a trade. He won’t be available to play until this fall at the absolute earliest and after two years away from the game, it’s impossible to predict how close to his prior form Ball will be able to return to when — and if — he receives medical clearance to play.

So why would Ball be considered an addition to trade packages? The answer comes down to the numbers.

Next season could be Ball’s last with the Bulls. He retains a $21.4 million player option for the season which he will undoubtedly exercise — without doing so, he’d be out of a contract as he attempted to make his return to the court, a situation he would not risk even with confidence that he could make a full, healthy return.

But until Ball receives medical clearance, the Bulls don’t have to worry about his contract. They received a $10.2 million player exception over the summer. And 80% of Ball’s salary is already covered by the league’s insurance due to the severity and duration of his injury.

Moving Ball would also mean moving these injury exceptions. For a team looking to shave a significant amount off its payroll, this could be a good deal — especially if that front office has any optimism surrounding Ball’s ability to bounce back from a 2-plus-year hiatus.

But there are drawbacks to moving on from Ball. Despite reports of some trade interest around DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls front office does not appear interested in moving multiple major pieces at the same time. Making that trade would ultimately mean giving up on a yearslong process that has held the franchise hostage to the hope of what a full return to health would mean for both Ball and the Bulls.

Ultimately, this move is out of character for the Bulls front office. But it’s an interesting consideration to keep an eye on, especially if the Bulls begin to churn their wheels in the next three weeks as they attempt to find a trade destination for LaVine.

Dec. 28: Ball expected to start running in January

Lonzo Ball is expected to begin running again in January as the next step of his nearly two-year-long recovery process from a knee injury.

Ball returned to Chicago last week to meet with Bulls staff and outline a plan for the next steps of his recovery after undergoing a rare cartilage transplant in March.

The Bulls do not anticipate he will return to the court in a game until the 2024-25 season. But coach Billy Donovan said the team has been bolstered by Ball’s response to his third knee procedure.

Ball has been able to progress with weight and mobility training and stationary shooting while recovering in Los Angeles over the past six months. Most importantly, Donovan said Ball is pain-free at this point in his recovery after suffering chronic pain in everyday activities for the first year after the injury.

“Everything they’ve done in terms of progressing him he’s handled very well,” Donovan said. “The pain that he was experiencing that was causing the setback I think has been eliminated in terms of what he’s doing now — but he hasn’t run. The next progression for him will be to start running and that will be here in January.”

()