The Bulls led the NBA in attendance and ‘‘what could’ve beens’’ the last couple of seasons.
Guard Lonzo Ball did very little to make a dent in the latter.
Appearing on Trae Young’s podcast ‘‘From the Point’’ on Monday, Ball discussed how the Bulls were a first-place team before issues with his left knee began midway through the 2021-22 season and how he couldn’t help but feel bad about what has become of the organization since.
‘‘It’s going to be a big what-if,’’ Ball said of the Bulls’ last couple of seasons. ‘‘I feel bad, just for the [Bulls’] GMs, because I feel like they made the perfect team around me. I felt like that was the most I’ve ever been involved in an organization. And I finally got the perfect team that I felt like could fit my game and play my way and really just do what I wanted to do.
‘‘That injury — and I’m still going through it right now — but that one messed me up because I felt like we had a chance and never got to see what it was.’’
Especially because Ball hasn’t played since — and won’t this season, either, he confirmed.
His last game in a Bulls jersey was Jan. 14, 2022, and he had three surgeries on his left knee, including a cartilage transplant, in the last 14 months.
That’s why there’s concern from Ball’s camp and the Bulls: They know no NBA player has successfully returned from that type of surgery to have a long career.
Then again, the sample size is tiny, so Ball is hoping he might be the exception.
‘‘When I first got hurt, we didn’t really know what it was,’’ Ball said. ‘‘I was seeing all type of different doctors and stuff. I was just kind of going up and down. . . . At least now I got the surgery. We got a plan moving forward. We’ve been on plan. I’m on track. Hopefully, everything works out. I just leave it up to God and do the best I can and live with the results.’’
Ball signed a four-year, $80 million contract when the Bulls acquired him and will be a free agent after the 2024-25 season.
As far as what the Bulls’ point-guard plan will be this season, Coby White and Jevon Carter will open camp competing for the starting job.
