Bulls' Lonzo Ball to have knee surgery

LOS ANGELES – Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, who suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee last January, will undergo surgery on the same knee next week, the NBA team said Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).

The Bulls said Ball will have the arthroscopic debridement procedure next Wednesday, after which he will be reevaluated in four to six weeks.

The timing means the 24-year-old won't be ready to take the court when the Bulls open their season against Miami on October 19.

Ball, the second overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, was traded to the Bulls from the New Orleans Pelicans in August of 2021, signing a four-year, $80-million deal.

His surgery in January was the second of his career for a similar injury to the same knee, the first coming in 2018.

The Bulls had hoped to have him back after six to eight weeks but announced in April he was ruled out for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

In 35 games last season, he averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Wednesday's announcement is just the latest injury blow for Ball, who has also dealt with a shoulder injury and has never played more than 63 games out of a possible 82 in five NBA regular seasons.

With him on the floor last season, the Bulls posted a 22-13 record and were atop the Eastern Conference standings during the first-half of the regular season.

They eventually fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.