After having his comeback tour put on pause, Lonzo Ball is back on track.

The Chicago Bulls’ guard appeared in three of the team’s first four games of the year before suffering a wrist injury. He would go on to miss 15 consecutive games before finally getting the green light to return on Nov. 27. Since then, the Bulls have continued to approach his workload with an abundance of caution. We’ve seen Ball average only 17.4 minutes of action over his last five games.

Still, Ball has found a way to finish as a plus contributor in all but one of those games. While the stints have been short, he’s surprisingly looked a lot like his former self. We’ve watched him shoot 36.8 percent from long range and finish with 3+ assists in three of the five games. However, what has probably stood out most is his pop on the defensive end. Once among the league’s most versatile backcourt defenders, many expected a drop-off in this department. Even the man himself has expressed some shock at how he’s looked on that side of the court. Ball has NINE steals in this five-game stretch (and, again, let’s not forget he’s playing limited minutes).

Indeed, I have to imagine his activity defensively is the main reason why the Bulls are ready to up his workload. Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters after Sunday’s loss to the 76ers that Ball will have his minute restriction upgraded to 20 minutes a night, per the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe. Ball has only surpassed that number once in his eight games this season (Nov. 29 against Boston).

Lonzo Ball Gets a Minute Boost!

I know this may not feel like a significant change, but it serves as another sign that Ball is trending in the right direction. Nobody knew how he would respond to NBA speed and athleticism coming into the year. Obviously, we all still need a greater sample size to be convinced Ball can reclaim a full-time rotational role, but this is part of that process!

The last thing to keep in mind is that this is a key step toward potentially boosting his trade value. To be clear, I’m not saying that is the motive behind the decision. I feel positive the Bulls are strictly doing what is best for Ball’s long-term health. However, we know that nobody on this roster is off the table, and a healthy Ball could make a lot of sense for contending teams. This is especially true when we consider he’s on an expiring contract.

All I’m saying that is IF Ball is able to continue to see his workload increase, I expect some trade buzz to come with that. He’s just that good.