The Chicago Bulls are looking to part ways with Lonzo Ball by trading him. The 6-foot-6 point guard returned to NBA during the 2024-25 season after missing out for more than two years due to injury. Now that the Bulls have younger and healthier option in Josh Giddey, the franchise is willing to move on from Lonzo Ball.
Chicago Bulls to part ways with Lonzo Ball
The former high school star returned to court on October 23, 2024. It was the first game of Lonzo Ball for the Chicago Bulls since January 14, 2022. Ball has averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the 35 games that he has played for the Bulls.
In the month of February, Ball signed a two-year contract worth $20 million as an extension to stay in Chicago. The second year of his contract features a $10 million player option. However, Forbes writer Evan Sidley took to his X account (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday that the team will have Lonzo Ball available in the trade market.
After signing a two-year, $20 million extension in February, Lonzo Ball is expected to be made available in trade talks by the Bulls, Sidery posted. Ball’s $10 million annual salary, which includes a team option for 2026-27, is easily digestible for contending teams in need of guard depth.
Lonzo Ball is one of the few players remaining on the roster from the DeMar DeRozan-Zach LaVine era. He played as a point guard and even helped the franchise make an appearance in the 2022 playoffs. However, his lingering injury issues didn't help the cause of Chicago Bulls in the postseason.
Western Conference team eyeing Bulls guard
Given his experience on the court and in the NBA, Lonzo Ball could be the missing piece of the puzzle for a title-contending team. One team that is heavily linked to Ball is Dallas Mavericks. Since Kyrie Irving, their star player who injured his ACL and is out for a longer period of time, the Mavericks in his absence would be searching for a productive player.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are reportedly targeting Lonzo Ball. However, Ball isn't the only player the Mavericks are considering to go for. Boston Celtics' veteran guard Jrue Holiday is another name that keeps popping up for a potential trade to Mavericks.
League sources say Dallas is expected to at least explore whether there are any feasible trade pathways to Boston's Jrue Holiday, Stein wrote. Complicated as that would likely be given the three years and $104 million still left on Holiday's contract, (Dallas is) also maintaining an interest in a far more reasonable trade target as we've discussed on the DLLS Mavs podcast: Lonzo Ball.
A one-to-one exchange between both the sides could make the trade work. Chicago could trade for Caleb Martin, who has three years left in his four-year contract worth $35 million.