Lonzo Ball sidelined with wrist injury 3 games into his return from 2-plus season absence

Three games into his NBA comeback, Lonzo Ball is injured again.

Thankfully, the injury’s not to his problematic left knee that required three operations and forced him to miss two-plus seasons with the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls announced on Tuesday that Ball suffered a sprained right wrist in Monday’s 126-123 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The injury will be re-evaluated in 10 days.

Ball returned this season after missing the entirety of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with his ailing left knee. He was first sidelined in January of 2022 with what was initially diagnosed as a bone bruise in his knee. The injury was later diagnosed as a meniscus tear that required surgery. Ball was initially given a 6-8 week timetable to return, but sat for the rest of the 2021-22 season after he continued to experience discomfort in his knee.

Prior to the start of the 2022-23 season, Ball underwent arthroscopic debridement surgery to address complications from his initial knee injury and procedure. The Bulls announced at the time that he would be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks. He missed the entire season and had a third procedure before it was over.

In March 2023, Ball underwent a cartilage transplant and a rare meniscus transplant that require a new meniscus from a donor. That procedure forced Ball to sit the entire 2023-24 season and raised concerns that the former No. 2 overall pick (2017) wouldn’t play basketball again.

But he was cleared to play for the start of this season. In Chicago’s first three games, Ball averaged 4.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 35.7% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point distance. He did so in a reserve role in 15.7 minutes per game.

He and the Bulls certainly expect him to return considerably sooner this time from his wrist injury.