Lonzo 'can't run or jump' due to knee injury
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball provided a grim update on his lingering knee injury the day before he undergoes another procedure on the joint.
"I can't run or jump. There's like a range from 30-60 degrees when my knee is bent that I have no force and I can't catch myself," Ball told reporters Tuesday. "Until I can do those things, I can't play."
The ailment limited Ball to a career-low 35 appearances last season. In January, he was diagnosed with a small meniscus tear in his left knee and was slated to miss six-to-eight weeks. However, the UCLA product was eventually shut down for the rest of the 2021-22 campaign amid continued discomfort.
Ball is expected to miss at least four-to-six weeks after his arthroscopic debridement Wednesday. The former No. 2 overall pick said he's still experiencing pain during everyday activities.
"Even going upstairs is still painful," Ball said. "This is definitely something I've never dealt with. Even the doctors are a little surprised. ... We're all working together to figure this thing out."
Chicago acquired Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans in a sign-and-trade deal just over a year ago. The 24-year-old averaged 13 points, 5.4 boards, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals in the first season of a four-year, $80-million contract.
The Bulls were significantly better defensively with Ball on the floor, allowing 8.1 fewer points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.