Getty Lonzo Ball shoots a three-pointer in a March 18 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
With just days remaining until the NBA’s trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls aren’t letting their foot off the gas in their chase for Lonzo Ball.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported on Sunday night that they, along with the Atlanta Hawks, “are in pursuit” of a trade for the 23-year old point guard.
Ball has long been tied to the Chicago Bulls as both a trade target and potential free agency option come this offseason, when he’ll enter restricted free agency.
He’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game for a New Orleans Pelicans team that’s staring at the playoff picture from the outside looking in.
Ball Would Be a Major Upgrade
There’s a reason the Chicago Bulls are making this push for Ball now, and not just waiting until the offseason.
They want to make the playoffs this year, and likely wont without making an upgrade at point guard. As O’Connor notes in his report, Ball would be a perfect fit next to first-time All-Star Zach LaVine:
Ball would be an excellent fit in Chicago or Atlanta alongside either team’s one-time All-Star guard, Zach LaVine or Trae Young. Ball is a low-usage playmaker who makes quick decisions and could better balance each offense with his ability to facilitate or play off the ball.
Chicago’s lost two straight ahead of their Sunday night matchup with Detroit, and dropped four of their last six.
The Bulls have been vocal about their desires to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. There’s little to no doubt that adding Ball to this group would dramatically increase their odds.
Chicago Has Made Offers for Ball
The biggest takeaway from O’Connor’s reporting is that the Bulls have presented actual offers to New Orleans.
Chicago’s interest in Ball hasn’t been a secret, but this is the first time that actual trade talks have been reported. So far, they’ve been unable to meet the Pelicans’ asking price:
Chicago has offered Tomas Satoransky and second-round picks, but New Orleans is asking for at least one good first-round pick or a young player.
Satoransky is having a productive fifth season in the NBA, and was recently moved to the starting lineup. He’s averaging 9.5 points, 6.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals over that four-game span.
O’Connor also reported that the Hawks offers have been “mostly centered around Cam Reddish.”
The second-year guard is averaging 11.2 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals this season, but hasn’t played in a game for Atlanta since late-February due to Achilles soreness.
It’s noteworthy that the Bulls have been willing to offer multiple second-round picks, but not yet a first.
This likely speaks more to their confidence in signing Ball outright as a restricted free agent this summer.
As O’Connor mentions, they’ve got the cap space, and teams are acknowledging that New Orleans is at a disadvantage:
New Orleans’s leverage is dinged by the fact both Chicago and Atlanta will have cap space to make an expensive offer to Ball this offseason.
Whether that lack of leverage is enough to force their hand is yet to be determined.
There are four days until the deadline.
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