The Chicago Bulls started to hit the eject button on the current iteration of their team on Sunday night when they helped facilitate a three-team trade that sent star guard Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings and sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs. In return, the Bulls got their first-round pick back from when they acquired DeMar DeRozan from the Spurs and a couple of veteran players.
This movie signifies, without a doubt, that the Bulls are finally ready to move on from the core of LaVine, DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. With a few days to go, there could be more moves coming in Chicago as it prepares for the future and looks to acquire more assets, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.
“Fluid week but currently hearing there's optimism for a Lonzo Ball trade in which draft capital would be acquired,” Johnson reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Ball could net some key picks in a trade and would be a critical addition to a contender in need of a playmaker and a ball handler. He is still a great passer and can play off the ball as well due to his spot up shooting ability. Vucevic is another name who could be moved in the next few days with a lot of teams, such as the Lakers, looking for help on the interior.
Best fits for Lonzo Ball if he is traded
Lonzo Ball's contract is expiring this offseason, so it would be wise for the Bulls to go in a different direction and try to accumulate some future assets for him if they don't think that he is going to return in free agency. The Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers all make sense as possible destinations for Ball if he is moved.
The Clippers have been playing surprisingly well even while dealing with Kawhi Leonard's knee injury all season, but they could use another ball handler off the bench to complete James Harden. Harden could also create plenty of looks from the outside for Ball when they play together, so he would be a perfect complementary piece for the Clippers.
Orlando is in need of a distributor so Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner don't have to create so much of their own offense and can instead receive the ball in areas of the floor where they can attack and be effective. Ball's shooting would also be a big boost on the perimeter for a team in need of floor spacing.
The Pistons have played surprisingly well this season, but could use ball to replace the injured Jaden Ivey as a secondary playmaker next to Cade Cunningham. If any of these teams are willing to take on the risk that Ball doesn't re-sign, or just want him as a rental, he could be on the move this week.
