Lonzo Ball hasn’t played in a game for the Chicago Bulls since January 2022. The former No. 2 pick is still recovering from a knee injury.
Even though Ball’s future in the NBA is still up in the air, the Bulls are committed to him for at least one more year.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls were informed this Saturday that Ball is picking up his player option for the 2024-25 season.
Ball signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Bulls in 2021. His player option for next season is $21.4 million.
Since Ball hasn’t played in over two years, he had no choice but to pick up his option. Teams weren’t going to be lining up to throw a contract at him.
Back in March, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Ball started running, cutting and jumping again.
“Some of the workouts have been really, really positive and he has progressed,” Donovan said, via CBS Sports. “He has responded well. Some of the things that medical guys have shown me is he looks good moving. I’m just really happy for him personally for his progress. He has worked hard to put himself in this position. And hopefully, he can continue to progress.”
When Ball was healthy for the Bulls, he averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
The Bulls would love for Ball to join their rotation next season.