Lonzo Ball's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball made his long-awaited return to NBA action on Wednesday, logging 15 minutes in a 125-123 preseason win over Minnesota. Ball came off the bench and played well, posting 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting. He hit a pair of threes with four attempts and had one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block to remind everybody of his versatility. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said after the game that Ball "looked great" and moved "really, really well." Ball's return to the court is an exceptional story, and it's great to see that he's fully capable of still making an impact on this level. However, fantasy managers should keep in mind that Ball has returned to action on a 16-minute restriction and won't play in back-to-backs.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) has missed the last two and a half seasons due to multiple surgeries on his left knee, which rendered him unable to climb stairs, let alone play basketball for a while. According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, the team and Ball are targeting Wednesday's preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as his first game back. His minutes will likely be monitored, and he'll be eased back into the rotation as the season goes on since this will be his first game since January of 2022.

According to Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, guard Lonzo Ball (knee) will suit up at some point during the preseason. He wasn't active for Tuesday's exhibition against the Cavaliers. Yet, Ball's impending return is still much sooner than most anticipated. The 26-year-old hasn't played since January 2022 and has undergone multiple knee surgeries since, including a meniscus transplant. As a result, he'll likely be brought along slowly early in the 2024-25 campaign. However, with Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu in the picture, there are more questions regarding Ball's role than answers. With that said, he'll likely make appearances with the starting lineup this season. Still, Ball isn't expected to be a consistent fantasy producer.