Getty Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls
There is no telling when the Chicago Bulls are going to get a fully fit version of Lonzo Ball back in their rotation, despite the star guard undergoing a second surgery on his troublesome knee.
Unfortunately, despite Chicago’s elite-level starting five, the franchise doesn’t have the depth to cover for Ball while still remaining extremely competitive – unless they make a trade. On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst addressed Chicago’s issues at the guard spot, and proposed a trade that could see the team add some additional avenues to improve moving forward while also improving their current rotation.
“So, the Bulls are like, ‘Oh my God, we’re a fringe playoff team.’ What are we doing? Maybe we just cash in DeRozan and some other stuff and we’ll take that Westbrook contract. We’ll grab some picks. We can use those picks to trade this summer, and we’ll reboot.’
Ultimately, Westbrook is a very valuable expiring contract…It’s a huge number. You don’t come across those type of expiring contracts. Today, in September, I’m looking at the Bulls after seeing this Lonzo Ball interview going, ‘Boy, I don’t know what’s going to happen with them,’ Windhorst said during the September 28 episode.
The Los Angeles Lakers biggest issue with the Russell Westbrook is that they don’t have the necessary shooters around him, which in turn means the superstar guard is unable to play his natural game. As such, a move to Chicago could see the California native rediscover his best form, and help the Bulls make a deep playoff push this season.
Westbrook Still Has Plenty to Offer
Whenever Westbrook is discussed as a potential trade option, the first thing people look at is his $41 million salary for the upcoming season. However, if you ignore the lofty salary, and simply look at his production levels, Westbrook remains one of the most impactful guards in the NBA – especially if he’s entrusted with the ball in his hands.
Last season, while playing on a Lakers team that was littered with injuries, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists throughout 78 regular-season games, while converting with an effective field goal percentage of 47.6%.
Russell Westbrook beat LeBron James and Anthony Davis in a three-point contest 🤣
(via @swishcultures_)
Considering Westbrook is currently sharing the floor with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it should come as no surprise that his drive-and-kick predicated game isn’t working – as both of his co-stars are ball-dominant interior finishers. Yet, should the Bulls decide to strike a deal for Westbrook, his running mates would be Zach Lavine, Nikola Vucevic, Alex Caruso, et al. So it’s easy to see how the six-foot-three star would quickly take control of the primary ball-handling duties.
Bulls ‘Confident’ Ball Can Return This Season
After undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee earlier this week, the Bulls are reportedly hopeful that Ball can return to their rotation at some point in the upcoming season, as reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Sources: There is confidence in Bulls guard Lonzo Ball’s ability to return this season following left knee surgery on Wednesday that doctors believe addressed the issue. Ball is expected to miss at least a few months.
However, returning to play, and being the best version of yourself are two totally different things. And, if Chicago truly has aspirations of winning a championship with their current core, then they will need Ball at 100% if he’s going to be their lead guard throughout the post-season.
As such, trading for Westbrook, who would become a free agent at the end of the season, maybe the Bulls’ best chance of bringing Ball back into the rotation slowly and reaping the benefits once they progress deeper into the post-season. The only downside is that it would cost you DeMar DeRozan.