Where there is smoke … THERE IS FIRE, BABY!!!!!
The news has broken that the Chicago Bulls have landed their franchise point guard. Lonzo Ball will sign a four-year $85 million contract and head to Chicago via a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball is landing on a four-year, $85 million contract with Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade agreement, his agent and @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 2, 2021
Lonzo Ball has agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, CEO of Klutch Sports Rich Paul tells @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2021
What exactly does this sign-and-trade look like? Great question!
Despite rumors of a possible three-team trade, The Athletic’s Shams Charania has reported that the Bulls will send Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, and a second-rounder to New Orleans for Ball.
The Chicago Bulls are sending Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick to New Orleans for Lonzo Ball, who's signing a four-year, $85M contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2021
All things considered, I think this is a sign-and-trade deal with which Bulls fans will feel more than comfortable. Likewise, a $21.3 million AAV sounds pretty damn fair for Ball, as some thought he could get as high as $25 million this summer.
We will have much more on this deal – and Ball, in particular – in the hours/days to come. But, guys, they did it. The Bulls got their guy.
Update (5:30)
I’m going to write much more about what Lonzo Ball brings to the table, but I thought I’d add a brief snippet here.
At 23-year-old, Bulls is still stuffed with potential. But, even if he the point guard does not develop immensely, he checks many boxes this team needs. He is a pass-first player with a high basketball IQ who can kill opposing teams in transition. His 3-point shot has taken a huge step in the right direction, and he became a legitimate catch-and-shoot threat last season (40.2 percent last season). Overall, Ball shot 37.8 percent on 8.3 attempts per game.
Arguably more important, his size is tremendous. At 6’6” he can guard multiple positions and is one of the best perimeter defenders at his position in the league. LaVine and Vooch are there to run the offense. Ball can facilitate, hit his shots, and make up for LaVine’s defensive lapses on the other end. At the end of the day, it’s one of the best fits you could have gotten this offseason, and you still get the added bonus of his upside.
The signing itself says a lot about the direction of this franchise. Not only is telling that Ball was interested in coming to the organization (which potentially bodes well for the interest of other high-caliber players), but it further demonstrates how eager this organization is to get back under the competitive spotlight. The Bulls want to win now, and Ball will help them do that.