Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has made some progress in his recovery from an injured right wrist, but there’s still no definitive timetable for his return.
That’s good enough for now.
Coach Billy Donovan said Monday that Ball no longer has to wear the brace he was in and will start dribbling in the next few days. How he comes out of that will give the Bulls some clarity about a possible timeline for a return.
‘‘I think it’s at the point now where he can get the brace off and start to do some stuff, see how he responds,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I do think he has some soreness, [and] certainly it’s been a slow progression for him. But he has gotten better.’’
Ball, who missed more than 2œ years in the wake of three surgeries on his left knee, was up and running for the start of this season, despite having to work around a minutes restriction.
In his third game, however, Ball fell back and caught his weight on the wrist. The original diagnosis was a sprain that was to be reevaluated in about 10 days.
But when that came and went, Donovan revealed that the Bulls had ‘‘dodged a bullet’’ and that, if Ball had continued playing, there was a scenario in which he would have needed season-ending surgery.
That’s why the Bulls want to be cautious, especially with Ball.
‘‘Because the injury is somewhat unique from the perspective of we don’t want to do anything that sets him back, they’ll be cautious there,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I’d say the first week was slow with the healing and the pain, but I think now he’s starting to feel better and better. We’ve had some good upward ticks. There’s been no setbacks.’’
Despite playing in only three games, Ball was flashing some of the skills he showed before his knee injury in January 2022. His return will help Donovan’s second unit, but the bigger picture is that it will help Ball’s career. He will be a free agent at the end of the season, and if he can get some more consistent minutes under his belt, that will help him with his next contract — and perhaps sooner.
The Bulls have been looking to trade players since the summer. That includes Ball and his expiring contract, provided the opportunity presents itself.
NBA Cup on horizon
The Bulls went winless in the group stage of the in-season NBA Cup tournament last year. But with the group stage for the 2024 event starting next week, they are hoping for better results.
‘‘We talk about it, and I think the league is trying to make it something that is a priority right now,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think everyone is trying to put their best foot forward.
‘‘The big part for me is if you get to a place where you’re going to Vegas [for the quarterfinal round], I think that’s probably where it gets magnified.’’
Protein shakes
Besides fighting for minutes and a spot in the Bulls’ rotation, rookie forward Matas Buzelis is fighting to get stronger.
Buzelis, whom the Bulls selected 11th overall in the draft in June, said he has been ‘‘adjusting my routine’’ since the regular season started. That has included intrasquad scrimmages after shootarounds and time in the weight room.
‘‘I think the weight room has been pretty extensive for him,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I don’t know what his body type is as far as how much weight he’ll put on, but clearly there’s been a pretty extensive effort to continually get him stronger.’’