Two years ago, the Chicago Bulls decided they were done rebuilding. They pushed their chips on the table, trading for Nikola Vucevic at the deadline. Then, the following summer, Chicago signed DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball, forming a new core group.
For 35 games, that group looked amazing. But then, Ball went down with a knee injury. And now, two years later, he has still yet to return to the court, and reports indicate that he will miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season, too. It’s been a long, brutal road for the former second-overall pick, especially considering how well he played in his 35 games in a Bulls uniform.
During a recent appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, Caruso shared his thoughts on Ball’s injury and his road to recovery. (H/t Basketball Network)
“He’s been great when I’ve seen him, as far as spirit and going to work,” Caruso said. “That’s kind of all you can do in that position. You can’t really force anything when it comes to injuries, right? The body has to heal, and then you can get back out there and play. This is one of those things where it’s been healing, and then I think there’s been setbacks. He’s trying to get back to healing again. For his sake, I hope he can just play basketball again.”
With Ball in the fold, Chicago was one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they haven’t been the same since he went down.
And while they can’t count on him coming back anytime soon, Ball will undoubtedly continue his journey toward recovery, and hopefully, he’ll do so while receiving full support from the team and his teammates.
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Story originally appeared on Lonzo Wire