It is great to see Lonzo Ball out on a basketball court. After missing the entirety of the past two seasons, Ball is now healthy and playing basketball. Considering the severity of his injuries and how in jeopardy his playing career was, that is something to be celebrated.
It is obviously going to take Ball a while to get back to his previous form. He still can’t play too many minutes or play in back-to-backs. He is rusty and needs playing time to get back in rhythm.
So far this season, the 27-year-old guard has played in 13 games and is averaging 5.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game. He is shooting 33.3% from the field and 31.6% from downtown. Those are obviously not eye-popping numbers but Ball still makes an impact with his connective passing, basketball IQ, and defensive chops.
Ball currently makes $21 million this season and his contract expires at the end of the season. The Bulls would love to trade him for positive value at the deadline but that is probably close to impossible.
There is a chance the Bulls would want to re-sign him in the offseason if the price was right. As a bench guard and a competent veteran, Ball is not a bad option. Plus, there is a chance he could outperform his new contract if he can get back to his old self.
However, if the Bulls keep Giddey around and have Dosunmu and White still part of their core, they really don’t need Ball. Giddey and Ball are particularly poor fits next to each other due to the similarities of their playing style.
Therefore, a departure in the offseason is probably for the best for both sides.
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