Lonzo Ball’s Time in Chicago May Be Coming to a Close After Bulls Acquire Giddey

The first big trade of the offseason saw the Chicago Bulls deal Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey . By receiving Giddey, the Bulls added a young talent that should see more playing time and could be the team’s main ball-handler on the offensive end. Because of this, Lonzo Ball ‘s time in Chicago may come to a close later this offseason.

Ball signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Chicago in 2021. Since then, he has played in just 35 games for the team, all of which came during his first season in Chicago. This was due to a severe knee injury that the 26-year-old point guard is still trying to recover from. In those 35 games, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 42.3 percent from three-point range.

With the addition of Giddey, the Bulls are looking to start a possible rebuild this offseason. It all started by trading Caruso away to the Thunder. The next piece of the puzzle is whether DeMar DeRozan re-signs with the team in free agency or chooses to move out of the Windy City. The Bulls have also been actively shopping Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic in the trade market and, according to The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry, Chicago is likely to move on from Ball this offseason by either finding a trade partner or possibly buying out his contract.

With Chicago possibly entering a rebuild this offseason and also acquiring Giddey, who could slot in as the team’s main ball-handler, Ball’s future in Chicago is in serious question. There is also uncertainty about Ball’s future in the NBA due to his knee injury.

He is expected to be back on the court next season after undergoing a meniscus transplant, but he may not come back as the same player that he was. Because of this, it may be the perfect time for Chicago to move on from the young guard.

With Ball possibly on the move, expect many teams who are in need of a point guard to be interested in either making a trade with Chicago or waiting to see if the Bulls do end up buying out his contract.

Ball’s Fit Around the League

There are several teams that need a point guard

Even with Ball’s injury history, there should be many teams interested in adding him. Before his knee injury, Ball was one of the best 3-and-D guards in the league. In his five seasons in the NBA, Ball has averaged 11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He has also become a reliable shooter by shooting 40.0 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three. Ball is still just 26-years-old and has a ton of potential that should intrigue many point guard-starved teams around the league.

If Ball returns next season and is able to play like his old self, he brings a lot of value at both ends of the court. Before the injury, Ball was having his most consistent shooting season of his career. Not only is he a great shooter, but he is also a great passer. He has averaged 6.2 assists per game during his career and was one of the league’s best young passing guards before his knee injury. Ball is also a great defender and rebounder thanks to his 6-foot-6 size.

Three teams that may be interested in adding Ball this offseason include the San Antonio Spurs , Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns . The Spurs and Nets are trying to find their point guard of the future that can help them return to their winning ways. With both of these teams still not quite good enough to compete for a championship yet, taking a chance on Ball could be a huge help in the future if he is able to return to his old self next season.

Another team that may be interested is the Suns. Phoenix’s season did not go as hoped last season after acquiring Bradley Beal in the offseason. Beal, alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker , made the Suns a championship favorite last season, but they instead were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. A main reason this happened was their lack of a true point guard. By taking a chance on Ball, Phoenix would add a true point guard who would also help the team defensively.

With Ball looking like he will be on his way out of the Windy City this offseason after the Bulls acquired Giddey, expect many teams to be interested in adding the 26-year-old guard to their roster.

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Thunder, Bulls Address Backcourt Needs in Blockbuster Deal

Chicago traded Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey on Thursday afternoon. The mutual exchange reflects priorities of youth versus experience.