Few NBA careers have taken more unexpected turns than Lonzo Ball’s. Drafted second overall in 2017 with the weight of his family’s basketball legacy on his shoulders, the Chicago Bulls point guard hasn’t stepped on an NBA court since January 14, 2022, due to a rare knee injury that has already required two surgeries.

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Current team: Chicago Bulls ·
Age: 26 ·
Height: 6’6″ ·
Career PPG: 10.6 ·
Draft pick: 2nd overall in 2017 ·
Injury status: Out since 2022 (left knee)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact return date or timeline for full recovery
  • Whether he can regain his pre-injury level of play
  • If the Bulls will trade him before his contract expires
3Timeline signal
  • Last NBA game: January 14, 2022
  • First surgery: February 2022
  • Second surgery: March 2023
  • Still no return date as of 2024
4What’s next
  • Continued rehabilitation with no set timeline
  • Potential trade if Bulls move on from his contract
  • Long-term career outlook depends on knee recovery

The pattern: a once-promising career now hinges entirely on an unpredictable recovery.

Attribute Value
Full Name Lonzo Anderson Ball
Born October 27, 1997
College UCLA
NBA Draft 2017, 1st round, 2nd overall
Position Point Guard
Height 6’6″
Weight 190 lbs
Current Team Chicago Bulls
Contract 4-year, $85 million (signed 2021)

The table above captures the core identifiers, but the real story is in the injury saga that has reshaped his career.

What is happening with Lonzo Ball?

Current injury status

Rehabilitation timeline

  • Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in February 2022 (Yahoo Sports (NBA injury reporter)).
  • A subsequent bone bruise and cartilage issue forced a second surgery in March 2023 (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).
  • His recovery has been described as a “setback” by team sources, with no clear end in sight.

Return to play outlook

  • The Bulls have not issued any public timeline for his return.
  • His absence from the court has now exceeded two full calendar years.
  • Medical experts note that the combination of a torn meniscus followed by cartilage repair is rare and carries a complex rehabilitation process.
Why this matters

The Bulls committed $85 million to Ball just before his injury. That decision has become a financial anchor on the team’s cap space — they’re paying for a starter who hasn’t played since the 2021-22 season.

Bottom line: Lonzo Ball has missed over two full seasons due to a rare knee injury. The Bulls have no return date planned, and his contract is increasingly difficult to justify on the books.

Why is Lonzo Ball not playing in the NBA?

Knee injury details

  • Ball suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee on January 14, 2022, during a game against the Golden State Warriors (Yahoo Sports (NBA injury reporter)).
  • The injury was initially thought to be a standard meniscus tear requiring routine surgery (Yahoo Sports (NBA injury reporter)).
  • However, complications arose — a bone bruise and additional cartilage damage — requiring a second, more complex surgery in March 2023 (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).

Surgery and recovery

  • First surgery: arthroscopic meniscus repair in February 2022.
  • Second surgery: a more involved procedure in March 2023 to address bone bruising and cartilage damage (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).
  • The recovery process for this type of injury is unpredictable; some NBA players never return to the same level after cartilage procedures.

Impact on career

  • Ball was in the prime of his career — he had just averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in the 2021-22 season.
  • His advanced stats, including Player Efficiency Rating, declined after the 2020-21 season, according to Basketball-Reference (NBA stats database).
  • The two-year absence has effectively erased his momentum as a starting-caliber NBA point guard.
The trade-off

Lonzo Ball is earning $21.3 million per season from the Bulls while not playing. That’s the brutal math of a star-level contract paired with an injury that won’t cooperate — the team is stuck paying for a player who can’t help them win.

Bottom line: Ball’s absence stems from a chain of knee complications. The second surgery in 2023 signaled a far longer recovery than initially expected, and his standing as a starting point guard has eroded.

Did Lonzo Ball get traded?

Trade from Lakers to Pelicans

  • The Los Angeles Lakers traded Lonzo Ball to the New Orleans Pelicans on July 6, 2019, as part of the blockbuster Anthony Davis deal (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).
  • The package sent to New Orleans included Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, and multiple draft picks (Sports Forecaster (NBA transaction tracker)).
  • Ball spent two seasons with the Pelicans, averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 assists per game.

Trade from Pelicans to Bulls

  • The Chicago Bulls acquired Ball on August 8, 2021, in a sign-and-trade deal worth $85 million over four years (ESPN (NBA insider reporter)).
  • The Bulls sent Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, a 2024 second-round pick, and cash to New Orleans (Sports Forecaster (NBA transaction tracker)).
  • That trade was viewed as a major win for the Bulls at the time — Ball was a young, versatile point guard with an improving three-point shot.

Current contract

  • Ball signed a four-year, $85 million contract with the Bulls, which runs through the 2024-25 season (ESPN (NBA insider reporter)).
  • His career earnings through 2025 are projected at $122,926,665, according to Spotrac (NBA salary tracker).
  • The Bulls are currently on the hook for his salary while he remains sidelined — a situation many analysts call one of the worst contracts in the league today.

“I’m just trying to get healthy. That’s the only thing on my mind right now.”

– Lonzo Ball, in an interview with ESPN, speaking about his rehabilitation focus

Bottom line: Lonzo Ball has been traded twice — once in the Anthony Davis mega-deal, and once in a sign-and-trade that brought him to Chicago. Both trades were major moves that altered his career trajectory. The second one is now a financial albatross for the Bulls.

Who is the richest Ball brother?

Lonzo Ball net worth

  • Lonzo Ball’s net worth is estimated at $20-30 million, mostly derived from his NBA contracts and endorsements.
  • His career earnings through 2025 total $122,926,665, according to Spotrac (NBA salary tracker).
  • He has endorsement deals with Big Baller Brand and BMW, though the value of those deals is not publicly disclosed.

LaMelo Ball net worth

  • LaMelo Ball is the richest Ball brother, with an estimated net worth of $50-60 million (Wikipedia (NBA biography)).
  • He signed a five-year, $203 million max extension with the Charlotte Hornets in 2023.
  • His rookie of the year season and All-Star appearance in 2022 cemented his status as the family’s financial kingpin.

LiAngelo Ball net worth

  • LiAngelo Ball’s net worth is estimated at $5-10 million, according to Wikipedia (NBA biography).
  • He spent time in the NBA G League and briefly played for the Detroit Pistons’ affiliate.
  • His income has come mostly from music and minor endorsement deals rather than NBA contracts.
The upshot

LaMelo Ball’s max contract with the Hornets dwarfs both of his brothers’ earnings combined. Lonzo, once the family’s most promising prospect, now faces the reality that his younger brother has surpassed him financially and on the court.

Bottom line: LaMelo Ball sits atop the family’s financial hierarchy. His $203 million extension puts him far ahead of Lonzo’s $85 million deal and LiAngelo’s modest earnings.

What was Lonzo Ball’s downfall?

Injury setbacks

  • Ball’s career was derailed by a succession of knee injuries starting with the meniscus tear in January 2022 (Yahoo Sports (NBA injury reporter)).
  • He missed the entire 2022-23 season after being shut down in February 2023 (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).
  • By mid-2024, Ball had missed over 200 consecutive regular-season games.

Off-court distractions

  • The Ball family reality show and frequent public comments from his father, LaVar Ball, created a constant media spotlight that sometimes overshadowed Lonzo’s on-court performance.
  • LaVar Ball’s controversial statements about coaches, teams, and other players added pressure on Lonzo throughout his early career.
  • The “Big Baller Brand” saga — including lawsuits and quality complaints — further complicated Lonzo’s marketability.

Performance decline

  • Ball faced persistent criticism for his inconsistent jump shot and lack of aggressiveness as a scorer.
  • His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) dropped from 14.5 in 2020-21 to 13.2 in 2021-22, according to Basketball-Reference (NBA stats database).
  • Advanced metrics like Box Plus/Minus also trended downward in his final active season.

“We’re not going to rush him back. This is about his long-term health.”

– Arturas Karnisovas, Bulls GM, on Ball’s injury timeline

“Zo’s gonna come back stronger. He’s built different.”

– LaVar Ball, speaking about his son’s recovery on social media

Bottom line: Lonzo Ball’s downfall wasn’t a single event — it was a cascade of injury complications, family-brand pressure, and performance inconsistency. The rare nature of his knee issue makes his NBA future uncertain, unlike his brother LaMelo, who is thriving as Charlotte’s franchise cornerstone.

What’s confirmed

  • Drafted 2nd overall by the Lakers in 2017 (Basketball-Reference (NBA stats database))
  • Traded to Pelicans in 2019 Anthony Davis deal (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker))
  • Signed $85M deal with Bulls in 2021 (ESPN (NBA insider reporter))
  • Underwent two knee surgeries (2022 and 2023) (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker))

What’s unclear

  • Exact return date for NBA play
  • Ability to play at pre-injury level
  • Whether Bulls will trade him
  • Long-term effect of cartilage repair on his career

The pattern here is unmistakable: Lonzo Ball’s career went from sky-high potential as a 2nd overall pick to a frustrating stall caused by a rare and stubborn knee injury. The Bulls are paying for a player they can’t use. The Ball family’s financial hierarchy has shifted to LaMelo. And the biggest question remains unanswered — can Lonzo ever play again at an NBA level?

For the Chicago Bulls, the decision is clear: either wait out a recovery with no deadline, or find a trade partner willing to absorb a contract tied to a player who hasn’t played in two years. For Lonzo, the choice is even starker — a full recovery, or the end of his NBA career at age 26.

Additional sources

basketball.com.au, en.wikipedia.org, salaryswish.com, salaryswish.com, de.wikipedia.org, spotrac.com, youtube.com, fanspo.com

For a complete picture of his career setbacks, Lonzo Balls injury timeline offers a thorough update.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Lonzo Ball’s salary?

Lonzo Ball is earning $21.3 million per season under his four-year, $85 million contract with the Chicago Bulls (ESPN (NBA insider reporter)).

When will Lonzo Ball return to play?

The Bulls have not announced a return date. Ball last played on January 14, 2022, and underwent a second knee surgery in March 2023 (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).

What team does Lonzo Ball play for?

Lonzo Ball is currently under contract with the Chicago Bulls, though he has not played since January 2022 (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).

How many points did Lonzo Ball average?

Lonzo Ball averaged 10.6 points per game over his NBA career, according to Basketball-Reference (NBA stats database).

What is Lonzo Ball’s shoe brand?

Lonzo Ball’s signature shoe brand is Big Baller Brand (BBB), the family-owned apparel company. He also has endorsement deals with other brands, though BBB is his primary footwear line.

Is Lonzo Ball still with the Bulls?

Yes, Lonzo Ball is still under contract with the Chicago Bulls. His deal runs through the 2024-25 season (Spotrac (NBA salary tracker)).

What college did Lonzo Ball attend?

Lonzo Ball played one season of college basketball at UCLA before declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft (Basketball-Reference (NBA stats database)).

Who is Lonzo Ball’s father?

Lonzo Ball’s father is LaVar Ball, a former college basketball player and businessman known for his outspoken public comments about his sons’ careers.

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