Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is pain-free and will start running next month

It’s almost easy to forget that guard Lonzo Ball is still on the Bulls’ roster.

Some days, it’s hard to remember that he ever was.

Ball last played for the Bulls on Jan. 14, 2022, before his left knee began betraying him. Three surgeries later, he still hasn’t returned.

Ball last spoke with the media in September, promising: ‘‘I definitely plan on playing again. I’m only 25 years old, and the rehab process has been going well so far. No setbacks. So for me it’s just keeping my head up. Just keep doing the work.’’

There was news about that ‘‘work’’ Thursday.

Coach Billy Donovan said Ball was in Chicago last week, and the two spent some time together catching up.

‘‘I give him a lot of credit,’’ Donovan said of Ball. ‘‘I mean, it’s amazing his disposition has not changed at all. It’s really remarkable. And not to say he’s carefree because he’s not. I know the guy wants to be out there. The game has been taken away from him for a couple of years now. But his attitude and the optimism that he is going to get back on the floor, I appreciate that. Because when you go through what he’s gone through, it’s very easy to sit there to doubt and question.’’

The flip of the calendar next week will be big for Ball because he is scheduled to start running for the first time in his current rehab process.

‘‘That’s the big thing,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘But everything they’ve done in terms of progressing him, he’s handled very well. The pain he was experiencing that was causing the setback is eliminated in terms of what he’s doing now, but he hasn’t run.’’

Ball was ruled out for the season in the summer, so the Bulls aren’t expecting a miraculous return. When it might get interesting, however, will be in the offseason and into training camp. The Bulls got some relief from Ball’s salary this season through a medical exemption, but he is scheduled to make $21.4 million next season, the last of his four-year deal.

If he can play during the 2024-25 season, how much could he give the Bulls and what would the backcourt situation look like?

All of it is unknown, which has become par for the course with Ball.

LaVine update

Injured guard Zach LaVine (right foot) went through a third consecutive day of controlled cutting as he continued to inch his way back toward a return.

As long as there are no setbacks, the next step for him will be taking contact in practices.

‘‘There have been no setbacks,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘He’s handled [the cutting] fine, but it’s been controlled. I think the biggest thing the medical staff wants to see is that he continues to progress [with] the random cutting, which would be the live play.

‘‘I think it’s going to be a few more days before he’ll get a chance to do that because they constantly want to elevate his loads in this controlled setting. Once he handles that, it will progress into playing more into contact.’’

Big-man blues

Center Nikola Vucevic missed his second game with an injured groin, but he slowly is progressing toward a return.

The Bulls hope he can start running on the court soon to give them a clearer timetable.