What Role Will Lonzo Ball Have in Chicago?

After 1,006 days, Lonzo Ball checked in again for the Chicago Bulls.

Ball looked comfortable in his first official NBA action since Jan. 14, 2022, when he tore his meniscus and Chicago said he would miss six to eight weeks. Instead, he missed the rest of the season, kickstarting a lengthy rehab process. He underwent a third surgery for a cartilage transplant in March 2023, his third in a year after the initial tear, but over two and a half seasons later, the soon-to-be 27-year-old is back.

Entering the game with a standing ovation from Bulls fans, Ball didn’t disappoint, nailing a wide-open three-pointer from the corner on his first shot attempt. He ended the game with 10 points, one assist, one rebound and a block. He also stole the ball from Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, diving into his bench to save the loose ball.

In only 15 minutes, Ball displayed everything Chicago wanted when it signed him to a four-year, $85 million contract in 2021. On offense, he was effective from beyond the arc while running the controls as the primary ball-handler, and he was a pest with his on-ball defense and excellent instincts. He followed up his return with an even better performance two days later, dropping 11 points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes.

Ball has played so well that it bodes the question: what role will he play in Chicago this season?

Before his absence, he proved his value to the team, as Chicago was 27-13 at the top of the Eastern Conference when he got hurt. Without him, the Bulls tumbled to a 19-23 record that season, falling in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.

That winning impact has been on full display in the preseason, as Chicago won both games that Ball played in, and the team outscored its opponents by eight points with him on the court.

However, it won’t be easy to facilitate his impending return. The Bulls have a logjam at the guard position, starting with Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. The 24-year-olds will presumably open the season as the team’s starters, and Chicago will give them plenty of minutes to help their development. That leaves Ball vying for a bench spot, but he’ll face stiff competition from offseason acquisition Josh Giddey, who’s only 22 years old.

Making matters worse, many expect the Bulls to take a step back this season after trading top scorer DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings. With Chicago not a contender for a playoff spot, if the team starts to struggle, it’ll have free reign to try and further develop some of its younger players, taking even more minutes away from veterans like Ball.

Regardless of what happens, the NBA world will be happy to have Lonzo Ball playing basketball again after such a lengthy absence. Still, a potentially diminished role could turn his feel-good story into one that doesn’t translate to on-court production. With Ball entering the final year of his contract, his unknown role could put his future in Chicago at risk, and perhaps even the NBA.