Chicago Bulls: Lonzo Ball situation will make for an impossible offseason

With the Lonzo Ball injury mystery still unresolved, it will make for an impossible offseason for the Chicago Bulls.

When Lonzo Ball initially injured his knee a little more than a year ago, the hope was that he could perhaps be back for the Chicago Bulls playoff run. When that didn’t happen, the hope was that he would be back for the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. When that didn’t happen, the hope was that he would be back at some point during the year.

As you could predict, that didn’t happen either. Now the Bulls are saying that the hope is that he can return for the 2023-24 NBA season. If there’s anything we’ve learned throughout this injury mystery, I’m not sure that’s something that can be expected either. However, you’d have to hope for both sides that he can return sooner rather than later.

However, without that certainty, especially with the constant mystery that has remained with this injury for Ball, you can’t help but wonder how the Bulls are supposed to approach the offseason. With so many other questions, Chicago is absolutely in a tough spot heading into the offseason without any resolution regarding Ball.

What will the Chicago Bulls do during the offseason?

Heading into the offseason, there could be a call for change in Chicago. With a team that was supposed to be in win-now mode, the Bulls have been everything but that over the last year. With just 23 games remaining in this season, the Bulls are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings and will have to make quite the move up the standings if they want to make the postseason.

And they’ll have to do that without Ball who is now officially out for the season.

Aside from their lack of success with this current core, the Bulls have some big contract decisions to think about heading into the offseason as well. DeMar DeRozan is a free agent after next season (do they explore an extension this offseason?). Nikola Vucevic is a free agent after this season. They have to make a decision on Patrick Williams soon. Ball could also opt out of his current contract after next season, but even though it would be highly unlikely considering his injury status it is something the team has to think about.

Aside from all that, they have to make sure everything is right with Zach LaVine, who has seen his name in and out of the trade rumor mill as of late.

The Bulls are in an almost impossible situation heading into the offseason. And Lonzo Ball’s injury concerns have not made anything easier. Quite frankly, it’s not something that Ball can control. What it really is is just unfortunate all around.