Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball's latest setback dims hope he'll play again this season

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According to sources, there is increasing pessimism that Lonzo Ball will return to the lineup this season, after another setback while ramping up the rehab of his left knee.

Sources said that a meeting in the coming days that is expected to include Bulls officials and Ball's representatives at Klutch Sports is more and more likely to shut down Ball for the rest of the season.

The Bulls lost 127-106 at home to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, but coach Billy Donovan thinks they will have a little more time to regroup. But that has not been the case.

The Bulls have three games left in the season.

Ball had surgery on his knee in January to repair a small tear.

When his knee did not respond to the rehabilitation process, he was out for longer than the initial timetable. The ramp-up process was pulled back by Chicago at the end of March in hopes that the extra rest would allow him to recover.

If Ball didn't return during the regular season, the team would be comfortable having him play in the playoffs. He said that the team was focused on getting Ball to stop feeling pain in his knee.

The Bulls secured their first playoff spot in over a year after Cleveland lost to the Magic. They are in sixth place in the East, one game behind the Toronto Raptors.

The biggest thing they are trying to figure out is how to eliminate his pain and make him feel better.

In his first season in Chicago, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebound and 5.1 assists. He has played in just 35 games in his five-year career.

He wants to play, and he is disappointed that he cannot, but he has dealt with it. He has tried to do everything he can to get himself back feeling good.

LaVine was not in the game because of left knee soreness. For the past few weeks, the team has been managing LaVine's knee injury.

The Bulls will host the Celtics.