NBA: (Lonzo) Ball Could Be In Bulls' Court If Draft Trade Rumors Are To Be Believed
Movement at Top of Draft Could Start Domino Effect
The NBA Draft rumor mill is in full swing with reports that numerous teams have reached out to the Detroit Pistons regarding the availability of their No. 1 overall pick, including the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Orlando Magic.
This news jives with the growing debate over who the Pistons should take off the board first, Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green, but also potentially opens the door for one team in particular: the Chicago Bulls.
New Orleans already has Zion Williamson, the top pick from the 2019 draft, on its roster but pairing him with another foundational piece like Cunningham — with his scoring and facilitating abilities and Williamson’s offensive explosiveness and defensive intensity — could make New Orleans a postseason staple.
For the Bulls, the most important key to this report is the likely departure of Lonzo Ball from the Big Easy.
It has been reported that the Pelicans will most likely not match the contract Ball signs with any team in free agency, and the Bulls are one of the top suitors for his services. Bringing Ball to Chicago can be an ideal situation that fills the void the team lacks in the back-court.
As much as the franchise loves its young star Coby White, it appears that the front office does not view him as the point guard of the future. Acquiring Ball start at the point would give the franchise the flexibility needed at that position to maintain stability within the offense.
Ball’s offensive skill-set fits exactly what the Bulls need to grow its offensive attack. He can push the tempo and has amazing court vision with a pass-first mindset that will create open opportunities for Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, especially in transition. However, his improved jump shot (shooting career highs 42 percent from the field and 38% from three while averaging 15 points and six assists a game) will help the offense that much more, positioning the Bulls for additional success and more easy shots for the Bulls’ All-Star duo.
Defensively, Ball’s high IQ and range would be tremendous. The Bulls lacked stout perimeter defenders last season, which at times saddled LaVine with the responsibilities of guarding the opposing teams’ best player and scoring enough to give the team a consistent chance to win.
Adding Ball would lighten load off of LaVine, who seems to have improved his defensive skills since joining Team USA this month.
Ball would likely come with a hefty price tag, but he would also improve the team in ways many of today’s point guards can’t. With the right offer, having Ball in a Bulls uniform can solve their point guard issue up front while continuing to develop White and allowing him to fit his true role as a backup scoring point guard.
If the Pelicans swing a deal with the Pistons to land the top pick in the draft, the red carpet to the Ball sweepstakes featuring Rich Paul and Klutch Sports could lead straight to the United Center in time for the 2021-22 season.