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Bulls granted $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception for Lonzo Ball

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James Foglio
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Updated14 Jul 2023

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Chicago Bulls granted $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception by NBA for Lonzo Ball injury

The Chicago Bulls have been granted a $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception (DPE) for the season-ending loss of Lonzo Ball, who is expected to miss the entire 2023-24 season. Ball, 25, has a projected salary of $20,465,117 for next season.

This is part of the four-year, $80 million contract the 6-foot-6 guard signed with the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a sign-and-trade with the Bulls in August 2021. Chicago applied for the Disabled Player Exception on July 2.

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In June, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas made the announcement that Lonzo Ball would miss the 2023-24 season. Despite Ball missing a lot of basketball, the NBA executive has no plans of waiving Zo.

“Everything is going well,” Karnisovas said. “Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season and he’s going to continue on his recovery.

“If he comes back, it would be great but we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s not going to be back. … I hope eventually we’re going to see him on a basketball court. But I do not think he’s going to be back next year.”

Chicago Bulls granted a $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception by the NBA for Lonzo Ball’s left knee injury; Ball to miss entire 2023-24 season

Lonzo Ball has not played since the 2021-22 season. In 35 starts, the Bulls guard averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. The UCLA product also shot 42.3% from the field and 3-point range.

In Chicago’s 128-112 win over the Pelicans on Oct. 22, 2021, Ball recorded a triple-double. The California native amassed 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 35 minutes played.

A lingering left knee injury has kept Ball out of the lineup since January 2022. The Bulls guard had a cartilage transplant in March, his third operation on the knee in more than a year.


“My main focus has been on returning to the court and getting to a place where I can rejoin my teammates,” Ball said in a statement after his cartilage surgery in March. “This has been a frustrating process, but I’m confident these next steps are the best path forward.

“The support of my family, friends, fans and medical staff throughout my recovery is what keeps me moving forward. I can’t wait to get back to what I love doing most – playing basketball.”

In January 2022, Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and was expected to be out six to eight weeks. However, he then had an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee last September and missed the start of the 2022-23 season. In mid-February 2023, the Bulls officially ruled Ball out for the season.

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