Lonzo Ball’s injury — he’ll miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing left knee surgery — is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Chicago Bulls

The loss of starting point guard Lonzo Ball for six to eight weeks is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Chicago Bulls, who have managed to overcome most of their previous obstacles en route to a 28-15 start — and the best record in the Eastern Conference.

But this one threatens to hurt the Bulls at a time when they’re particularly vulnerable, coming with Zach LaVine out and trade deadline approaching.

After a period of rest, Ball will undergo arthroscopic left knee surgery, the Bulls announced Thursday. Ball reportedly has a small meniscus tear in the knee, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Ball hasn’t played since Friday in a loss to the Golden State Warriors and was sent home to Chicago on Monday to be examined by a team physician after the soreness didn’t subside.

Asked Wednesday about the potential of surgery for Ball, coach Billy Donovan hedged.

“The biggest thing right now is what are the steps that we can do to try to get him back and get him healthy,” Donovan said. “I haven’t been told what any next steps are going to be.”

With surgery being the next step for Ball, Donovan once again will need to find the right pieces of the puzzle to get through the coming months with a team now considered a realistic contender. Donovan lost power forward Patrick Williams for four to six months in early November with a torn ligament in his left wrist, dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak in December that eventually infected him and watched LaVine walk off the court with a left knee injury Friday.

Donovan has adeptly met all challenges, while executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas has signed some valuable fill-ins off the scrap heap such as Malcolm Hill and Alfonzo McKinnie to get some minutes and keep the regulars from wearing down.

Alex Caruso’s return Wednesday helped the Bulls end a four-game losing streak, but they’ll be tested again Friday in their first meeting against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, who also are in a rut with six losses in nine games.

With Ball out, Donovan must rely on Coby White to help keep the Bulls in contention for the top seed in the Eastern Conference and for rookie Ayo Dosunmu to continue playing well in LaVine’s starting spot.

“His maturity is amazing,” DeMar DeRozan said of Dosunmu after Wednesday’s win. “For him to be on a great team, number one, and the presence that he brings, you wouldn’t think he’s a rookie. You’ve got to be special to carry yourself that type of way. It’s not in an arrogant way. He’s one of those guys that’s always inquisitive and always asking questions, constantly trying to find ways of learning. He accepts his mistakes and holds himself accountable, and that’s big for a young guy to be able to do that.

“You see it when you play. He’s always ready for the big moments.”

While the Bulls aren’t expected to trade White, he remains one of their most valuable pieces, and teams looking for scoring help as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches were certain to be interested in the third-year guard. But the loss of Ball for an extended period suggests White doesn’t have to worry about any rumors that pop up and can just play his game while continuing to improve. Instead of White and Dosunmu battling for minutes in the rotation, now they’re playing together .

“I love playing with Ayo,” White said Monday. “I feel like this is chance for us to grow, an opportunity we didn’t have this year with our whole team. Now we’re getting an opportunity.”

It’s well-known that White can shoot 3-pointers with anyone. But being both a playmaker and perimeter threat isn’t easy, and Donovan also wants Dosnumu to run the offense on occasion so White is free to penetrate. That’s one area in which Dosunmu is markedly better than Ball, who tends to dish off whenever he drives instead of finishing.

“I always think it’s a hard balance for a guy who is as gifted a scorer as Coby is,” Donovan said. “Sliding Ayo maybe to the point and getting (White) off the ball a little bit and taking some actions and really being aggressive and playing downhill and just (knowing when to) make the right read and the right play, those two guys playing with each other has been good, considering we really haven’t had a chance to do it together a whole lot. … Both are unselfish and can go downhill.”

LaVine is expected back next week after three-game trip, and the Bulls will be much better with their leader and second-leading scorer after DeRozan.

But until then, White and Dosunmu will be in the spotlight for a team that’s learning daily how to deal with adversity.