Lonzo Ball tries not to think about his left knee too much. Especially while he’s playing. After three surgeries and nearly three years of discomfort and setbacks, he knows it’s natural to be wary of injury. But Ball doesn’t want to think about the stakes of what he’s doing. It’s difficult — especially in the first week of Chicago Bulls training camp with the medical staff monitoring his every move, pulling him from drills to minimize his workload and providing a deluge of data after every practice. For Ball, the monotonous rigor of the constant surveillance has become the norm as nears his first NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022. And Friday was the latest in a series of small victories: a two-hour practice dedicated to scrimmaging with referees in place to simulate game action. Ball was limited significantly in the scrimmage, but he was able to play at full speed — and full contact — with his team. “Today was probably my best day,” Ball said after practice Friday. “It’s getting better each time.” Ball, 26, is realistic. He still isn’t the same player as before. His first step is slower. He can’t reach his former speed when he slides on defense and fights through screens. His shot is a little off-balance, a slight lean to the side reflecting the strength he’s still building back in his legs. But Ball feels that everything he’s still missing physically can be offset by his mental approach to the game, which always has been the driving force of his playmaking. “I just play the game a lot smarter,” Ball said. “That’s really what I have to focus on — just keeping my IQ to be ahead of things.” Coach Billy Donovan encourages Ball to lean into this part of his game throughout his return. To Donovan, it has always been Ball’s greatest strength on the court — seeing plays unfold before they begin, finding his teammates who aren’t even aware they’re open. Donovan said he spent part of Friday’s scrimmage on the sideline with guard Zach LaVine, and the pair marveled at the way Ball still could command the offense. Photos: Inside look at Chicago Bulls media day “He can take a situation that looks three on three and just by a pass to a certain area of the floor, can make it three-on-two, just out of feel,” Donovan said. “That’s the one thing I think for him that will never go away. He’s just such a high-IQ player and knows the game so well. The way he plays, he makes people around him better.” For Donovan, the challenge this season is trying to find the “sweet spot” of playing time where Ball can impact the Bulls as much as possible without overloading his body. This isn’t just a wariness of reinjury. Donovan has expressed a consistent desire to lay a foundation for Ball’s health throughout the rest of his career. The best scenario for this season is for Ball to take on the most reserved role of his career. He won’t play 35-minute workloads. He might not start a single game. But if Ball feels comfortable and confident on the court, that will feel like a major success for the Bulls. These might feel like low expectations if Ball’s goals for the season weren’t so unprecedented. No professional athlete has returned from a knee cartilage transplant, which was one of the three operations Ball underwent in an effort to return to the court. Only a small handful of top athletes have undergone the procedure. Ball has reached out to as many of those athletes as possible, swapping stories and experiences in an effort to spur progress for potential recovery. “Every situation is a little different,” Ball said. “Obviously, my body’s not the same as theirs, so the rehab process is going to be a little bit different. But for the most part, I would say everybody’s just trying to keep their head in it. That’s probably the hardest thing.” The Bulls have yet to outline their plan for Ball for the upcoming preseason schedule, which begins with a Tuesday road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the main goal remains consistent: The team plans for Ball to be available and on the court in the Oct. 23 season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. After years of uncertainty, it’s natural for the Bulls — and Ball — to hold their breath until that date arrives. But after a full week of practice without any setbacks, Donovan voiced optimism about Ball’s outlook for the season. “He’s battled and fought … and he just never really lost his spirit,” Donovan said. “I never, ever saw him down one time. I’m just happy he’s back in between lines playing.”