NBA rumors: Why Bulls are 'hesitant' to trade Lonzo Ball
01/24/2025 04:10 PM
As the Chicago Bulls have been in trade rumors since the season started, there are several players that teams are calling for. Lonzo Ball is one of those players, as he’s been able to return to the court this season and give the Bulls good minutes. Contending teams may want to use Ball’s services, but the team seems hesitant to trade him, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.
“The hesitation is mutual,” Poe wrote. Ball has undergone the entirety of his exhaustive recovery process with the Bulls. The team committed fully to a process that included three surgeries, the last of which was an unprecedented cartilage transplant that no NBA player had successfully returned from.
“For Ball, the risk of upending the final stages of that recovery — even if it meant finishing the season on a more competitive roster — might outweigh the potential reward of pushing for a trade.”
The Bulls are happy with what Ball brings to the court, and they’re not rushing to make a move.
“On the other end of the bargaining table, the Bulls aren't eager to move on from Ball,” Poe continued. “He's playing excellent basketball. He quietly commands the locker room, bringing a layer of veteran leadership to a team desperately seeking direction amid a transition season. And while he may choose to walk in free agency, the Bulls already made a long-term investment in his recovery.”
As of now, it looks like it will have to be a deal that blows the Bulls’ minds for them to trade him.
Will Bulls keep Lonzo Ball past trade deadline?
The Bulls had a plan of going young and rebuilding this season, but they still have players such as Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic on the team who are playing at All-Star levels. Though teams may be highly interested in LaVine and Vucevic, Lonzo Ball is a low-key option that can help teams that need depth at point guard.
Ball’s basketball IQ and defense could help a contending team, and if he’s still on a minutes restriction, that should work in a role that doesn’t need him to start.
Right now, it looks like both the Bulls and Ball don’t want to separate, and it makes sense after they’ve invested so much time in him getting back on the court. As the trade deadline approaches, it’ll be interesting to see if the Bulls decide to be sellers and let go of a few of their key players.
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