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The Chicago Bulls announced guard Lonzo Ball suffered a right wrist sprain in Monday’s 126-123 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ball will get re-evaluated in 10 days, so he’ll be sidelined for at least the next five games for Chicago.
The wrist injury is particularly cruel because the 27-year-old is just coming back after missing the last two-and-a-half seasons due to persistent knee trouble.
Ball made his regular-season return in the Bulls’ opener and has averaged 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
“For him, he’s been able to wrap his head around the fact that this is my new norm. This is my reality,” head coach Billy Donovan told reporters after the Bulls’ 123-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in their first game.
Now, the process of working Ball more fully into the rotation will have to be put on hold for the time being.
Donovan shifted the 6’6″ playmaker to the bench given his lengthy layoff, so his absence won’t require too many changes to how the backcourt is structured.
With Ayo Dosunmu already averaging 26 minutes per contest, other reserves will need to pick up the slack to replace Ball. Any one of Jevon Carter, Talen Horton-Tucker or Dalen Terry could be called upon to shoulder a slightly heavier load.
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