Lonzo Ball to have third knee surgery in hopes of resuming career

Ball was one of the Bulls' big acquisitions in the summer of 2021, along with shooting guard DeMar DeRozan. He tore his meniscus halfway through his first season in Chicago, and hasn't played a game since. At the time, the Bulls were leading the Eastern Conference with a 27-13 record.

After the first surgery left Ball in constant pain, he had a second procedure in September, an arthroscopic debridement aimed at removing debris and solving a nerve problem. Doctors called it "successful," but months later, Ball still couldn't run or jump without pain.

Now, Ball is facing a cartilage transplant on his knee. Orthopedic surgeons implant pieces of cartilage, either from a cadaver or from Ball's own cartilage grown in a lab. The hope is that the new cartilage grows to cover damage and cushion the knee from stress.

It's a serious procedure, and generally would keep Ball from putting weight on the repaired knee for 4-6 months. It's also a surgery of last resort, often performed on patients who would otherwise be facing a knee replacement. That's ominous for a player who's still only 25.

Ball would probably miss the entire 2023-24 season, but the surgery may give him hope to continue his basketball career. That would likely be with the Bulls, where Ball has a $21.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season.

As for the Bulls, this news likely ends the hope of competing with their current core of players. Without Ball, Chicago may look to trade DeMar DeRozan this summer, and would have to think hard about re-signing free agent Nikola Vucevic. Even Zach LaVine could be available.

Whatever the case, the Bulls and basketball fans all have to hope Ball recovers. The NBA is a much more entertaining league with Lonzo Ball in it.