Lonzo Ball said injuries have changed the way he feels about the game, explaining that when his body will not let him do what he wants to do, some of the joy goes with it.
The 28-year-old guard pointed to the reality that eventually every player deals with decline, saying that unless you are LeBron, something is going to happen at some point. His comment came as he reflected on a career that has been repeatedly interrupted since a major knee injury early in his Chicago Bulls stint.
A career interrupted by injuries
Ball’s first season with the Chicago Bulls showed what he could still look like at full strength. At age 24, he played 35 games and averaged 13.0 points, 5.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 42.3% from three.
That run ended early because of the knee injury, and Ball missed the next two seasons. He later returned for the 2024-2025 NBA season, again appearing in 35 games, but his production had slipped to 7.6 points, 3.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
That is the backdrop for his latest comments. Ball said it is hard not to think about what could have been, even if he tries not to live in the past. He added that there are always moments when he wishes he could do more, but he is focused on moving forward.
What happened in Cleveland and Utah
The Chicago Bulls later traded Ball during the 2025-2026 offseason to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In Cleveland, he played 35 games, came off the bench for all but three and averaged 4.6 points per game.
Ball later said the situation would have been fine in Cleveland if he had simply made an extra two shots per game. That line summed up how close the season felt to being different, even though the overall numbers were still modest and the role was limited.
At the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers moved Ball to the Utah Jazz, and Utah waived him the same day. Deep into the summer, he remained a free agent without rumors of a team giving him a legitimate look.
For Ball, the bigger picture is clear: the injuries did not just slow his career, they changed how he experiences it. He is still only 28 years old, but after two seasons of 35 games and a stalled market, the next step is no longer just about talent. It is about whether another team still sees enough left to make the gamble.
