3 Best Trade Destinations for Lonzo Ball

At first, it appeared that Lonzo Ball was heading for a heartwarming comeback story with the Chicago Bulls in the upcoming season. Now, that does not look to be as clear as before.

Ball picked up his player option for the upcoming season earlier in the offseason. He then offered an encouraging update on his status, leaving those listening optimistic about his chances of returning to the NBA hardwood for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

Reports then followed that the Bulls were confident that Ball would indeed return some time next season. However, their recent actions could hint at the opposite.

With the Bulls' recent trade, sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey, it appears the Bulls sent a loud and clear message about the future of the point guard position. Giddey projects to be the long-term future at the spot.

After getting phased out of the rotation with the Thunder during their playoff run this season, the Bulls offer an opportunity for Giddey to have more on-ball responsibilities and a chance to improve in the process. This now leaves the guard rotation a lot more congested in Chicago.

Ball's future with the team now shifts to uncertain. If the Bulls were to trade Ball elsewhere before the start of the next season, there would be a few suitors for his services. With only one year remaining on his current contract, Ball offers a low risk, high reward acquisition on the trade market.

A handful of teams who are willing to be patient with Ball's progress in terms of his return to the basketball court should emerge to take a chance on the twenty-six year old guard. If Ball can return close to the player he was before injury, he would be an asset to any team that secures his services.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards Take A Chance On Adding To Their Rebuild

The Washington Wizards fit the bill perfectly of an organization that should be ready and willing to be patient with Ball's injury recovery. The team is in no position to push for anything of significance in the upcoming years, allowing them to give Ball all the opportunity in the world to take the necessary steps to return to the best version of himself.

It's hard to estimate what Ball's exact trade value is on the market given the amount of time he has spent away from the basketball court.

For the Bulls, an expiring contract in Richaun Holmes (who has a player option this offseason) paired with a couple of second round picks would likely be sufficient value given the uncertainty of the situation. This feels especially true when the 2026 second round pick they get back in the trade would be their own.

For the Wizards, Ball offers them a plan at the point guard position with the impending free agency of Tyus Jones. If they do not retain Jones, they can breathe a little easier having the added security at that position with Ball in the fold.

Ball is not the talented young prospect with heaps of potential that he was once considered to be. However, he is still young enough for the Wizards to feel confident that if this goes well, they have a piece that can be a part of their team for a considerable amount of time.

Considering how bad the Wizards were last year and the fact that they will likely remain as such in the upcoming year, they can certainly afford to take this kind of low-risk, high-reward gamble.

Worst-case scenario, Ball plays out his contract and the team moves on. Best-case scenario, the team has a solid rotational piece for the foreseeable future.

San Antonio Spurs

If the Spurs can afford some patience, it could go a long way

The San Antonio Spurs are in an interesting position for next season. The arrival of Victor Wembanyama has captured the imagination of almost every NBA fan. There is reason to believe his ascent to superstardom in the league will be rapid.

In relation to that, there are plenty of stars getting linked to San Antonio in the NBA rumor mill. The path to being competitive is there if the Spurs want to take it. However, given how loaded the conference projects to be in the upcoming season, patience in building up the team around Wembanyama would not hurt the organization.

One of the biggest holes on the roster that needs to be filled is undoubtedly the point guard position. The Spurs could look to address that in the NBA Draft with one of their two lottery picks. However, if there is reason to believe the rumor that San Antonio could move up to the number one overall pick, that need could still require attention thereafter.

Once again, the price for Ball would be relatively modest. The Bulls would get an expiring contract with Graham. The 35th overall pick should be a valuable addition for the Bulls, falling just outside the first round.

The Spurs get a point guard who can be consistently relied upon to set up Wembanyama in positions to score. Ball was also a much-improved shooter before going down with his injury, offering another facet of his game that would pair well with the French phenom. This is all without mentioning the defensive boost that Ball offers on that end of the court.

Toronto Raptors

Ball could be a steadying force as a backup point guard

The Toronto Raptors may fancy themselves close to a playoff spot in the upcoming season. Masai Ujiri is known to prefer the competitive route as opposed to tanking. This would mean the Raptors need to fill a few holes next season, with one of them being the backup point guard.

The Raptors can go several different routes with how they can add Ball to the team. They have cap flexibility and a few trade assets to play around with.

While this move would indicate that the Raptors would probably be competing for a Play-In Tournament spot, they are still in a position where the rebuild they are undergoing should afford Ball patience in his comeback. The Raptors' current timeline would allow Ball a chance to work his way back properly and be surrounded by considerable talent as he does.