After over 1000 days missed because of a series of devastating knee issues, LaVar Ball’s oldest son, Lonzo Ball, returned to active competition this season. His return itself seemed to be a product of providence. After all, there were times in his recovery process when he couldn’t walk. Well, now there’s more news about his future. News that will delight Bulls fans amid growing reports of his trade. Although there is still some cause for concern on that front.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls have successfully agreed to a contract extension. This new deal, worth $20 million, will last two years. This will keep him at the Bulls till the end of the 2026/27 season. No player or team options have been reported so far.

It seems several teams were vying for Ball’s signature ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. Among the forerunners were the Detroit Pistons and the Memphis Grizzlies. However, Bulls officials and Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, were able to finalize the new deal tonight to keep Lonzo in Chicago. LaVar Ball must be overjoyed with this new development!

However, this contract extension does not mean that Lonzo Ball’s future at the Bulls is guaranteed. While it does seem as if the time to trade for him this window is gone, the offseason still remains. And any team that values his contributions on the court may still attempt to bring him in over the summer. However, they will probably need to part with better players or more draft options to do so.

Especially after the comeback season that Lonzo is having. Despite playing limited minutes in the early season, he is averaging 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this season. All this when nobody expected him to even resume his playing career. So, let’s delve a little deeper into the incredible comeback Lonzo Ball made after suffering some of the worst knee problems the league has ever seen.

Why Lonzo Ball’s comeback in the 2024/25 NBA season is TRULY unprecedented

What is it with the Chicago Bulls and players coming back after lengthy absences? Michael Jordan did it in the 90s after trying his hand at baseball. The less we talk about his baseball career, the better. And now, Lonzo Balls joins the list, although for completely different reasons. However, while Ball may not lead the Bulls to a threepeat, his comeback is still historic and unprecedented.

Coming off a down screen in a game against the Golden State Warriors in 2022, Lonzo felt his knee jam. That minor discomfort would cascade into a series of knee problems that would take three surgeries to fix. And one of those was a surgery that no player in the NBA had attempted. Especially not one looking to resume their career.

But that’s exactly what Lonzo Ball did in March 2023. He underwent a never-before-seen cartilage replacement to fix his knee issues for good. “We tried so many different things. … Finally we’re like, look, this is all you got left,” is what Lonzo’s orthopedic surgeon told ESPN about what he said to Ball, ahead of the surgery.

Well, the surgery went swimmingly. As we can all now see, Lonzo Ball is back after a 1009-day absence and better than ever. With a new Bulls contract to his name and many teams still attempting to recruit him, it will be interesting to see where he ends up. But we’re sure Lonzo won’t mind as long as he gets to do what he loves: play basketball!