Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has not played in a game since January, and it will likely be awhile before he returns.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the 24-year-old is expected to miss "at least a few months" but there is "confidence" he will be able to play during the 2022-23 season after he had surgery on his left knee Wednesday.

Ball told reporters on Tuesday that he was still unable to run or jump without feeling pain in his left knee. He spent the summer rehabbing from a torn meniscus in Los Angeles and seeking opinions from multiple specialists, and he opted to undergo another procedure.

"There was a point where we would warm up and stuff, and I would go through certain days and it would be fine," he said. "Then whenever I got to real basketball activities, I just couldn't do it. Unfortunately, this is what's at hand and has to be dealt with. We feel like surgery, again, is the best option."

The Bulls acquired Ball in a sign-and-trade prior to the 2021-22 season. He immediately found a groove as the team's starting point guard, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting a career-best 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. However, his knee injury limited him to just 35 games, the fewest in his five-year career.

The 2017 No. 2 overall pick had high expectations coming out of UCLA, and he has developed into a solid player when healthy. He previously underwent surgery on his left knee in 2018 while with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also spent two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging a career-high 14.6 points in 2020-21.

While Ball is out, the Bulls have options they can deploy at point guard. Chicago signed veteran Goran Dragic this offseason, and Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White will likely see more action. Alex Caruso could see some minutes as the primary ball-handler as well.