Donovan gives injury updates on Lonzo, Caruso, Williams originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Wednesday evening, the Chicago Bulls formally practiced for the first time since the 2022 All-Star break — and there was a buzz in the building.
Alex Caruso scurried from shootaround station to shootaround station, trading good-natured barbs with his teammates while donning a brace on his surgically-repaired right wrist. Patrick Williams hoisted 3-pointers alongside Matt Thomas and Troy Brown Jr. Off to the side, Lonzo Ball, who is rehabilitating after right knee surgery in January, did some supervised sprinting.
It underscores an all-important storyline for the team as it prepares for the 23-game stretch run: Health.
Head coach Billy Donovan provided updates on a few key players who are on the mend:
Lonzo Ball
Sports
Ball underwent surgery to address a bone bruise and torn meniscus in his right knee on Jan. 28, and as of this writing, is just under four weeks into a six-to-eight week recovery timeline (i.e. between March 11 and March 25).
Donovan didn’t have much to update on Ball other than that the Bulls’ starting point guard has recently “ramped up more of his running than what he was doing a week ago.”
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In other words, he’s progressing as expected.
Alex Caruso
Caruso’s surgery to repair a fractured right wrist, which took place on Jan. 24, carried a six-to-eight week reevaluation timeline. He exits the break just over four weeks into that timeline.
Donovan said before last Wednesday’s game against the Kings that Caruso was seven to 10 days away from doing work with a basketball in his hand. This Wednesday, he’s closer to that goal.
“We're hoping by the end of this week, certainly early next week, that he'll have a ball in his hands and be able to do things,” Donovan said of Caruso.
That’s another positive update.
Patrick Williams
Williams has only played five games this season, and has been sidelined since undergoing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist in late October.
The second-year forward has stayed engaged with the team by traveling to road games and attending shootarounds and practices. Though he’s shed the initial cast (and subsequent brace) on the wrist and has begun doing some dribbling and shooting work, Donovan said he needs to strengthen the affected area further before facing live contact.
“He's progressed well,” Donovan said of Williams. “The biggest thing is gonna be: ‘When is he actually cleared for practice?’ Because I think once we get to that date where the doctors feel like ‘OK, he can now participate in practice, full contact’ — now you gotta have a little bit of a ramp-up period for him before he actually goes into a game. I just don't know what that date is yet, that's the biggest thing.”
Donovan then reiterated his optimism that Williams will return before the end of the season, barring setbacks. His initial return timeline was set at four-to-six months, which established a window from late February to late April.
Ayo Dosunmu
Dosunmu jammed his right thumb during Friday’s Rising Stars showcase, but Donovan said any concern about that bump is much ado about nothing.
“I don't think it was really a big deal. He said he was fine,” Donovan said of Dosunmu. “It didn't hold him out of practice.”
Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine is cleared to return on Thursday after missing the Bulls’ last three games before the break with knee soreness. Donovan and LaVine have both hinted at the team constructing an injury management plan for him down the stretch, but specifics on that are unknown until they see how he responds to game action.
“He went through everything today at practice. He feels fine. I just think that it's gonna be something we have to manage of how he’s feeling,” Donovan said. “How does he respond coming off a game the next day? Does he feel back-to-backs are something he can do? I think, in his meetings with the doctors, they're comfortable with him playing. It's all really how he's doing once he gets back to playing on a consistent basis. Right now he feels good, but we'll have to see.”
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