With the Chicago Bulls sending Zach LaVine to Sacramento, all eyes have shifted to the futures of Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball. Many have expected Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley to aggressively shop both veterans as they continue to nudge this organization toward a full-scale rebuild. However, it sounds like they may not be making as many calls as expected on at least one of those players.
According to The Stein Line, Ball may be a candidate to stick around past this trade deadline.
The Bulls have received trade interest in Lonzo Ball all season but sources tell @TheSteinLine that they have not been eager to trade him and are resistant to buying Ball out if he remains a Bull past Thursday’s deadline,” Marc Stein shared over X.
The Stein Line also went on to say that the Bulls have actually shown an interest in potentially re-signing Ball when he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
Ball has appeared in 29 games so far this season after missing over two full years due to a knee injury. The improbable comeback has been a success thus far, as he’s averaging a well-balanced 7.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals on a minutes restriction.
Should the Chicago Bulls Really Keep Lonzo Ball?
If the Bulls can get something of value for Lonzo Ball at this deadline, they would be behooved to take it. As easy as it is to root for the hard-working and well-rounded point guard, there remains an obvious risk in keeping him past this deadline.
First things first, Ball’s injury history speaks for itself. While he has looked a lot like his former self at times this season, he is still someone who had to sit out two-plus seasons and opted for a procedure no NBA player has ever attempted or come back from. Things are going smoothly right now, but there is no guarantee it will remain this way (even if we all hope it does).
Likewise, the Bulls are already taking extra precautions with Ball’s health. Not only is he sitting out back-to-back sets, but Ball has also played under a strict minutes restriction. Only recently did the Bulls increase that restriction to 28 minutes per game.
The fact Ball is an unrestricted free agent this summer should also be a real concern for the Bulls. Considering how up in the air his future is, why would he want to recommit to a rebuilding franchise? As Stein suggests above, plenty of teams have shown an interest in Ball this season, and I would expect nothing but the same as he hits free agency. I fear that one of the only ways the Bulls could entice Ball to stick around would be with a very generous contract offer. And the last thing they need is another hard-to-trade contract on their books as they start a new era.
Is there a world where Ball returns to his pre-injury self on a new deal and becomes a high-level asset either in the win column or on the trade market? Yes, but is that risk the Bulls should be willing to take this point? One could argue yes, as they will be in rebuild mode anyway and don’t have much to lose. Others might argue it’s not a marriage that makes sense anymore, so they might as well grab a second-round pick while they can. I can be convinced of the former, but I think I lean toward the latter. If I do feel strongly about one thing, it would be to avoid a buyout if I deal isn’t reached. You might as well have him finish the season in your building and evaluate him further in that scenario.
The Bulls may also be trying some deadline gamesmanship! We know that offers for Ball are likely pretty small, so leaking this now could be a last-ditch effort to bump his value. For what it’s worth, this report from Stein comes shortly after K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network shared something pretty different. The long-time Bulls beat reporter noted that there is improved “optimism” that a Lonzo Ball deal could be reached ahead of Thursday.
For more thoughts on that – and some other Bulls trade rumors – check out our post from Monday night.