Report: Lonzo Ball could face third knee surgery this offseason

Lonzo Ball last stepped on an NBA court on Jan. 14, 2022, and in the ensuing 14 months he had two knee surgeries; in both cases his recovery has been slow. The Bulls have shut him down for the remainder of this season.

Now comes the news Ball may need a third surgery on that same knee.

ESPN Sources: There is a growing possibility that Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will need a third surgical procedure on his right knee that would likely require another six months of recovery and rehabilitation. pic.twitter.com/pnToNKynhb

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 9, 2023

A third surgery on the same knee in less than a year and a half is unquestionably troubling. While everyone hopes this cleans up whatever is wrong in his knee, the Bulls have to start thinking longer-term about the point guard position and what they are going to do with the position.

Ball has two seasons at $41.9 million left on his contract (the second year of that is a player option).

LOS ANGELES — D’Angelo Russell had 28 points and nine assists in his dynamic return from a six-game injury absence, and Dennis Schröder added 23 points and seven assists in the surging Los Angeles Lakers’ 122-112 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

Austin Reaves scored 18 points while Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt added 16 apiece as the Lakers won for the seventh time in nine games even with little contribution this time from Anthony Davis.

The superstar big man had only eight points and nine rebounds while struggling against Toronto’s defense, but Russell and the Lakers’ reserves took charge before Davis sealed the win on his only field goal of the second half with 46 seconds to play.

“That we were able to come away with this win against a really good team