Report: Bulls' Lonzo Ball doubtful for start of season

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to miss training camp and is considered doubtful for the beginning of the regular season due to persistent pain in his left knee, sources told ESPN's Jamal Collier and Ramona Shelburne.

Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery in January. The Bulls initially slated a recovery timeline of six-to-eight weeks for Ball but shut him down in April because of discomfort from the procedure. He appeared in a career-low 35 games in 2021-22.

The 24-year-old continued to feel pain while spending the summer rehabbing in Los Angeles, per Collier and Shelburne. Ball is reportedly set to arrive in Chicago next week for further evaluation by the Bulls.

Ball has missed 98 contests over his five NBA seasons due to lower body injuries, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Chicago owned a 27-13 record ahead of Ball's last game in January. However, the Bulls won just 19 of their final 42 regular-season games, dropping them to the sixth seed and eventually losing a first-round series to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The UCLA product averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his first season in Chicago. The Bulls acquired him in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason, sending Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, and a second-round pick to New Orleans while inking Ball to a four-year, $85-million contract.