It’s been a long time since Lonzo Ball last played basketball. The 6-foot-6 combo guard has been recovering from a wrist sprain since March 2. Ball has missed 16 consecutive games, including the whole month of March, during which the Chicago Bulls went 9-6 and placed 15th in the NBA’s net rating.
During Ball’s absence, the Bulls lost two more guards, Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones, for extended durations. Dosunmu has been battling with a chronic shoulder issue that eventually necessitated season-ending surgery. Jones, who had replaced Ball and Dosunmu in the starting lineup, suffered a midfoot sprain on March 20, causing the former San Antonio Spur to miss at least two weeks of activity.
Despite losing several guards due to injuries, the Bulls’ backcourt did not lose a beat. Coby White won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award in March. The 25-year-old averaged 27.7 points and had a true shooting percentage of 63.2. Josh Giddey averaged nearly a triple-double in March, with 20.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game.
Missing Ball, Dosunmu, and Jones, Head Coach Billy Donovan has upped Kevin Huerter’s minutes (33.5 per game in March) and has recently trotted out end-of-the-rotation guards, Jevon Carter and Talen Horton-Tucker. The latter two have only appeared in one and two of Chicago’s last five games. Carter, on the other hand, scored 17 points in his only outing, whilst Horton-Tucker had 43 points in his prior two games.
Lonzo Ball should be back in the lineup on April 4, or April 6 at the latest
The Bulls’ depth has paid dividends. Chicago typically plays 11-deep, with guys like Carter and Horton-Tucker ready to contribute at any time. Nonetheless, Ball is the closest of the three injured guards to returning, and he might do it as soon as Chicago’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 4.
After missing practically every game in March, Ball’s status was upgraded to questionable ahead of Chicago’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 27. Despite receiving a doubtful diagnosis, Ball did not suit up when Chicago faced Los Angeles. His status was later reduced to doubtful for the Bulls’ next three games.
What encourages us to assume Ball will return is not just his injury diagnosis, which has been returned to questionable, but also the emotion shared by Donovan and Ball himself. On April 1, the head coach expressed “mild optimism” about Ball’s comeback to the court. Donovan’s self-expressed optimism came six days after the UCLA graduate announced he wouldn’t play for at least a week. Friday, April 4, will mark nine days after Ball ruled himself out for a week.
Lonzo’s return could not have come at a better time, as he was on the verge of making his Play-In Tournament debut. The 27-year-old guard has the highest net rating among the Bulls to begin the season in Chicago. He is a good player who can play in a variety of positions and lineups. If Ball does not return against Portland, he will likely return on April 6 when the Bulls face the Charlotte Hornets without LaMelo Ball.
