Chicago Bulls reach an agreement with Lonzo Ball, per report
The Chicago Bulls finished the 2020-21 NBA season with a 31-41 record. This was the 11th-best record in the Eastern Conference.
This marked the fourth straight season in which they’ve failed to reach the playoffs. Additionally, the Bulls reached the 30-win plateau just once during that stretch.
Given that fact, the new front office is desperate to help the team become a perennial playoff team once again. With that being said, it would have been reasonable to presume that the Bulls would be active during the offseason.
And as soon as the free-agency period commenced on Monday evening, the Bulls made their move. Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bulls reached an agreement with Lonzo Ball via a sign and trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The other side of the deal involves the Bulls sending Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick to the Pelicans.
Chicago Bulls finally get their man
This isn’t the first time that Ball has been linked to the Bulls. In 2019, the Bulls inquired about Ball when it was revealed that he wanted to part ways with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, nothing materialized as he was eventually dealt to the Pelicans as part of the trade that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.
The Bulls inquired about Ball again at this year’s trade deadline. But the two side weren’t able to agree on draft compensation. Fast forward a few months later and the Bulls landed their guy.
In his second season with New Orleans, Ball averaged 14.6 points (a career-best) 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest. Ball also posted career highs in shooting (41.4 percent) and 3-point shooting (37.8 percent).
The starting point guard is an area the Bulls have tried to solidify since they traded former MVP Derrick Rose back in 2016. At 6’5″, not only does Ball bring size to the backcourt, he is also a legtimate floor spacer as well.
A few hours after landing Ball, the Chicago Bulls also inked a four-year $37 milliion with Alex Caruso, who played with the Lakers last season. He averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game in a reserve role. Even more important, he shot 40.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Whether Ball — alongside Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic — can create a Big 3 remains to be seen. What is a certainty is that the front office is commited to improving the roster. And it would not be a suprise if this isn’t the last move the Bulls make this offseason.