DALLAS — The 10-day window before guard Lonzo Ball’s sprained right wrist is reevaluated is up Thursday, but don’t expect to see him on the court anytime soon.
Initially, the injury didn’t appear serious when it was announced last week.
“I think we really dodged a bullet because that could have been a fracture very similar to Patrick [Williams’] situation,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Wednesday.
“So the mentality right now is certainly be aggressive with the treatment, but we’re going to make sure he’s good.”
Williams injured his left wrist early in the 2021-22 season, and it went from a sprain to eventually having to repair torn ligaments that led to a fracture. It cost Williams the season.
Considering how much time Ball has missed after three knee surgeries, including the last one that was basically an entire replacement, the organization obviously will proceed with extreme caution. That’s why Ball stayed in Chicago, working on his conditioning.
“The swelling has gone down,” Donovan said. “He’s still in the brace and the splint. It’s just going to be one of those things where it all depends on how long it takes to heal. I think they’re going to be aggressive with his treatment and therapy but cautious to do anything that will set him back.
‘‘I think he had mentioned that if he gets going too soon and it’s much too early, that could be a problem.”
Ball injured the wrist early in a victory against the Grizzlies.
He played in three regular-season games and was averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 assists in 15.7 minutes off the bench.
Adductor blues
Guard Zach LaVine (adductor strain) made the trip to Dallas with the team, but after going through a workout in the morning shootaround, the training staff opted to let him rest one more game.
Donovan didn’t have an exact return date, but it could be soon, even Thursday, when the Bulls return home to host the Timberwolves.
“[LaVine is] doing more and more,” Donovan said. “I think the biggest thing for him is just the comfort in terms of running, and he’s been able to do more of that, but like I said before the Utah game, it was not a situation where we felt he was going to be out, like, several weeks.
‘‘We wanted to catch it before it did possibly turn into that, so I would anticipate him back pretty soon.”
Rookie run
Life in the NBA hasn’t been as smooth as rookie Matas Buzelis would have liked, but the 11th overall pick is grabbing his minutes and runs whenever, and wherever, he can get them.
He did have one of his better stints in the first quarter against the Mavericks, playing just under seven minutes. He scored five points, blocked a shot and was a plus-1.
But most of his playing time lately has come by spending a day down in the G League or in extra scrimmages after shootarounds. He says he just needs to make do.
“Honestly, just working out, staying ready,” he said. “I mean, in the [scrimmages], you’re still getting burn. Me, having my belief in my basketball abilities, I think that’s all that matters. Even if you’re not getting the true NBA game, I’m here for a reason, and I wouldn’t be given the opportunity if they didn’t believe in me.”
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