Lonzo Ball Recovery tracking thread update p76 - Lonzo Has Started Sprinting!

bueller · Post #1 » by **bueller** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:06 am

I'm guessing not, and I'm fine with that....more important than early season is for Lonzo to be available in the playoffs and 2nd half of regular season.

Assuming Lonzo out for now, that does make the rotation a bit easier to figure, though it's still crowded (at least with legit NBA players, an upgrade to last year with Tristan Thompson/Troy Brown Jr./Alfonzo McKinnie/Matt Thomas/Malcolm Hill/Tyler Cook all in 15+ games at 10+ MPG.)

Will be real interesting to see who ends up starting at PG with Lonzo out, I could see any of the three below.

Even without Lonzo, we have 12 players that could reasonably be expected to contribute close to 20 MPG of quality play in over half the Bulls games.

PG - Ayo/Caruso/Dragic
SG - Lavine/Coby
SF - DeRozan/Dalen
PF - Patrick/Javonte/DJJ
C - Vucevic/Drummond

Post #2 » by **Senor Chang** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:22 am

Im fine if we implement some sort of load management like they do with kawhi. Maybe no back2backs and the occassional coach's decision holiday if he starts to feel sore, anywhere. Gotta get this guy to the playoffs healthy.

Tutupa · Post #3 » by **Tutupa** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:03 pm

I would say that he will not be ready. In fact, I'll add that I have a bad feeling about his health throughout his career.

I prefer him to lose the first quarter of the season if that means being ready for Playoffs. If load management is an option for him, I´m also OK with that.

Regarding the rotation, just have in mind recent interview to Dragic where he said he expect to be playing 20-25 minutes as a reserve guard.

So, I see something like that:

PG - Ayo/Dragic
SG - Lavine/Caruso/Coby

Post #4 » by **chitownsports4ever** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:30 pm

Why would we assume Zo is out to start the season in October in July ?

I expect Zo will be ready for camp

drosestruts · Post #5 » by **drosestruts** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:36 pm

Lavar said he'll be ready and I oddly believe him. When Lavar talks about himself it's typically a lot of nonsense (better than Jordan, etc.).

But when he talks about his children, he tends to be more accurate.

Won't hold my breath but I'm hoping he is ready to go opening night.

ATRAIN53 · Post #6 » by **ATRAIN53** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 3:02 pm

fine with me if he doesn't play until like April. let the kid fully recover for a playoff run.

We should have more than enough to get in there. I want some W's when we do and this kid D will help.

ChettheJet · Post #7 » by **ChettheJet** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 3:07 pm

Some people require a YouTube video of him running and jumping and even then some will say it was faked. He's likely not training in Chicago so at whatever site his is at they aren't leaking anything. There's no advantage for his people to say anything, he's not looking fora new contract, he doesn't want to be traded, he doesn't want a different role on the team nor want to force anybody else out. All that matters is how he feels and showing up when camp opens and they don't need to promote that.

kodo · Post #8 » by **kodo** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:22 pm

I think so, KC said the issue is a bone bruise. The knee surgery went fine and was "very successful." Bone bruises extending out for months longer than expected is common, we've seen that with other Bulls players. But like fractures, they pretty much heal just fine. KC has been by far & away the most reliable source of information we've had.

I do think Lonzo is general has a history of injuries, he might hurt something else mid season.

Hangtime84 · Post #9 » by **Hangtime84** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:36 pm

i voted no. see you post all star zo

sco · Post #10 » by **sco** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:43 pm

kodo wrote:I think so, KC said the issue is a bone bruise. The knee surgery went fine and was "very successful." Bone bruises extending out for months longer than expected is common, we've seen that with other Bulls players. But like fractures, they pretty much heal just fine. KC has been by far & away the most reliable source of information we've had.

I do think Lonzo is general has a history of injuries, he might hurt something else mid season.

I agree.

There are two questions that need answering: Has he fully recovered from the bone bruise (which I understand is not a chronic-type injury)? And does anything need to change in terms of his minutes to address his historical lack of durability (mainly related to his meniscus)?

_txchilibowl_ · Post #11 » by **_txchilibowl_** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:25 pm

It's a solid maybe....

waffle · Post #12 » by **waffle** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 7:54 pm

can i just answer PLEASE?

WindyCityBorn · Post #13 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Sun Jul 31, 2022 7:29 am

Yes he will be ready by the regular season opener. Even yet slow irregular progress he will be good in 3 months.

WindyCityBorn · Post #14 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Sun Jul 31, 2022 7:31 am

Senor Chang wrote:Im fine if we implement some sort of load management like they do with kawhi. Maybe no back2backs and the occassional coach's decision holiday if he starts to feel sore, anywhere. Gotta get this guy to the playoffs healthy.

I think he definitely will be limited to around 30 minutes per game and maybe no back to backs. Just as precaution for first half of the season even if he fully healthy. We have the guard depth to not push him too hard and still win.

sco · Post #15 » by **sco** » Sun Jul 31, 2022 1:47 pm

WindyCityBorn wrote:
Senor Chang wrote:Im fine if we implement some sort of load management like they do with kawhi. Maybe no back2backs and the occassional coach's decision holiday if he starts to feel sore, anywhere. Gotta get this guy to the playoffs healthy.

I think he definitely will be limited to around 30 minutes per game and maybe no back to backs. Just as precaution for first half of the season even if he fully healthy. We have the guard depth to not push him too hard and still win.

I agree, but I guess it depends on what the real deal is with his knee. If REALLY is "just the bone bruise" and it's fully healed, I might feel differently - does anyone know if a bone bruise is a chronic condition? If they just want to be cautious with his meniscus, I get that too.

WindyCityBorn · Post #16 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Sun Jul 31, 2022 7:09 pm

sco wrote:
WindyCityBorn wrote:
Senor Chang wrote:Im fine if we implement some sort of load management like they do with kawhi. Maybe no back2backs and the occassional coach's decision holiday if he starts to feel sore, anywhere. Gotta get this guy to the playoffs healthy.

I think he definitely will be limited to around 30 minutes per game and maybe no back to backs. Just as precaution for first half of the season even if he fully healthy. We have the guard depth to not push him too hard and still win.

I agree, but I guess it depends on what the real deal is with his knee. If REALLY is "just the bone bruise" and it's fully healed, I might feel differently - does anyone know if a bone bruise is a chronic condition? If they just want to be cautious with his meniscus, I get that too.

I don’t think it’s chronic. It can just take forever to heal as we have seen with him and Kendrick Nunn. They said only removed a very small portion of his meniscus, but this is second time he has had the surgery so hopefully he still has enough left that it won’t be a chronic issue with knee pain.

Jo Jo English · Post #17 » by **Jo Jo English** » Sun Jul 31, 2022 7:19 pm

At this point none of us know. It seems reasonable to believe he would be back and ready by October, but given the lack of progress late last season, and the comments we heard during summer league, we are just going to have to wait and see. Neither scenario should be all that surprising.

I hope I am wrong, but my gut feeling says he isn't quite ready to go at the beginning of the season. I would imagine they are going to be all-in on trying to be healthy heading into the postseason, so if Lonzo has any doubts, they would take it slow, being content that we would hopefully have a fully healed and well-rested Lonzo ready to roll when it really matters.

Hopefully he is ready for opening night, however. Would be good for team morale and getting off to a great start would be a big confidence boost after the way last season ended.

sco · Post #18 » by **sco** » Mon Aug 1, 2022 6:35 pm

Donovan provided some encouraging words on Ball’s status:

“Lonzo continues to improve and get better … Lonzo appears to continue to move in a very very positive direction and Alex is fine right now,” Donovan said while attending an event in honor of his 1987 Providence men’s basketball team.

Look, I don’t know what Donovan’s definition of “very very positive” is at this point in time, but it’s the first time we’ve heard anyone inside the organization use that kind of wording. I also don’t suspect he would say this unless he was feeling confident about where Ball was trending, especially when we consider how poorly things have gone.

Donovan’s comments also come on a handful of days after ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan shared that LaVar Ball informed him his son was “coming along” and would be “ready to go” for the start of the season. Now, to be sure, we should always take what LaVar says with a grain of salt, but that’s also why it’s so important that we are also hearing some promising words from someone like Donovan.

https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2022/07/30/did-billy-donovan-finally-give-us-a-positive-lonzo-ball-update/

Stratmaster · Post #19 » by **Stratmaster** » Thu Aug 4, 2022 2:28 pm

He will be available. Whether or not they decide to play him is another story. I think they will, but will limit his time, and institute the dreaded load management. I want to go see several games in person this season. But I don't want to go see games where Lonzo and Zach aren't both on the court and I think there will be many of those throughout the season, even if they stay reasonably healthy.

sco · Post #20 » by **sco** » Thu Aug 4, 2022 4:42 pm

Stratmaster wrote:He will be available. Whether or not they decide to play him is another story. I think they will, but will limit his time, and institute the dreaded load management. I want to go see several games in person this season. But I don't want to go see games where Lonzo and Zach aren't both on the court and I think there will be many of those throughout the season, even if they stay reasonably healthy.

I don't see a scenario where he's available but held out for precautionary reasons - although load managing him and Zach wouldn't bother me. His situation "should be" black or white, given the nature of bone bruises vs. other types of injuries.

Will Lonzo be available to play at the start of the season?