Bulls guard Lonzo Ball doesn’t take missing the season off the table

Positive medical updates about guard Lonzo Ball have been few and far between since he joined the Bulls before last season.

That didn’t change Tuesday.

Speaking via Zoom from Los Angeles, Ball painted an unclear picture about his return to the court and hinted that missing the entire 2022-23 season was not entirely off the table.

‘‘For me, this will be my third surgery [on his left knee], so this time around I really don’t want to rush anything,’’ said Ball, who is scheduled for surgery Wednesday. ‘‘I think last time [in January], I wanted to get back for the playoffs and stuff, and I thought — we all thought — that was going to be the case. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. So this time we need to just take it as slow as we need to take it and come back 100%.’’

That’s not exactly what the Bulls wanted to hear, especially coming from their best two-way player and the engine that gets their up-tempo offense going.

But there’s a bigger picture for Ball, especially with everything he has gone through since he first was diagnosed with a bone bruise in January. That’s what he was focusing on.

‘‘[Missing the entire season is] not in my mind right now, but that would be the worst-case scenario,’’ Ball said. ‘‘I’m at a point now where I know I can’t get back out there until I’m comfortable playing and can actually play. So whenever that day comes, that’s when I’ll have the jersey back on.’’

After the surgery, Ball will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. A clearer timetable should be known then.

The Bulls’ hope, however, is that it doesn’t turn into four to six months. That was the storyline last season. The bone bruise initially was expected to keep Ball out for a few weeks, but it eventually turned into surgery to repair the meniscus in the knee. Even then, the Bulls hoped to have Ball back in time for a late-season push into the playoffs.

That never happened.

‘‘Like I said, I thought I was for sure going to be back for the playoffs [last season],’’ Ball said. ‘‘But things happen, and something weird obviously happened. I’ve never felt pain like this. I was able to ramp up a little bit but never fully, so definitely a unique situation. But the doctors and the Bulls felt we’re all trying to figure out what it is.’’

Ball said that he still is having pain walking up the stairs and that running and jumping caused pain when he was rehabbing earlier in the summer.

That’s why coach Billy Donovan is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

‘‘Even last year, you had to prepare like he wasn’t going to be there,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘You don’t even know how long — if everything goes great with the surgery — [it will take] for him to get back into playing form.’’

Either way, Ball’s teammates stressed it was about holding down the fort until he can return.

‘‘We’ve got great guards behind [Ball], so I’m not really worried too much about who’s going to play the position,’’ guard Alex Caruso said. ‘‘Obviously, we’ve got great options: me, Ayo [Dosunmu], Goran [Dragic].

‘‘It’s about figuring out what’s the best chemistry of certain lineups, certain guys, whether it’s defensively, offensively, mixing with who’s out there. For us, that’s kind of what training camp and preseason is for, to figure all that out. I think we’re in good hands for the time being. But looking forward to having [Ball] back soon.’’