Last offseason, Lonzo Ball was signed by the Chicago Bulls to a four-year, $85 million contract in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. However, after missing 47 games last season due to a myriad of injuries, none bigger than the torn meniscus he suffered in January, injuries have reared their ugly head against Ball once again. The Bulls announced earlier that Ball would undergo an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee, which would keep him out for at least four to six weeks.
For all the polarizing publicity Ball had when he entered the league with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017 due to the presence of his loudmouthed father, LaVar, he has developed into one of the best 3 and D point guards in the NBA, with a distinct playmaking flair that makes him a perfect fit alongside more scoring-inclined All-Star teammates, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
The Bulls will need someone to step up to fill the void he would leave behind, especially with Lonzo Ball's skillset being difficult enough to replace as it is.
However, it might not be the worst idea to seek outside help. The Eastern Conference is an arms race, especially after the Cleveland Cavaliers' addition of Donovan Mitchell. With training camp approaching, now might be the best time to integrate a new addition.
Who could the Bulls potentially acquire to supplement the DeRozan-LaVine-Nikola Vucevic core this late in the offseason?
Kemba Walker
To say that Walker did not have the best of performances with the New York Knicks last season is a massive understatement. Injury problems have taken their toll on the 32-year old, and he put up the worst numbers of his career in 2021-22, posting a pedestrian 11.6 points and 3.5 assists on 40.3% from the field in only 37 games after Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks decided to ride with Alec Burks as their starting point guard.
However, Walker still showed flashes when he was re-inserted into the rotation after COVID-19-induced absences hit the NBA hard. He scored 44 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards back in December, adding nine rebounds and eight assists to go along with seven made threes.
While Coby White is also a shot creator in the mold of Walker, taking a flier on the four-time All-Star in hopes of facilitating a revival of his career could be well worth a shot. Cobbling up salary to match that of Walker's will be a difficult task, but if, or when, Walker hits the buyout market, the Bulls should be all over him, especially with Lonzo Ball's prolonged absence looming.
T.J. McConnell
The Indiana Pacers are rebuilding, and have recently turned over the keys to the franchise to Tyrese Haliburton, acquired from the Sacramento Kings in the Domantas Sabonis trade. McConnell will be an easy fit in the Bulls' starting lineup, as his pass-first mentality will be the perfect complement to the scoring exploits of his hypothetical All-Star teammates.
McConnell did not have the best of seasons last year, as he missed 55 games due to a right hand injury. However, he was solid in 2020-21, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, shooting a sterling 55.9% from the field.
Again, the Bulls will have difficulties matching McConnell's contract, which will run until 2025 for an average of $8.7 million, as they will need to relinquish the 22-year old White in such a deal, which they would be understandably hesitant to do.
Internal Improvement
There might not be a better option to replace Lonzo Ball than with someone who's already on the Bulls roster.
Fortunately for the Bulls, they will have four capable guards to share ballhandling duties in Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Carus, Goran Dragic, and White.
Dragic, the 36-year old veteran, could get the nod after a solid Eurobasket performance where he averaged 14.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Meanwhile, Caruso, the 2020 NBA champion, will be a solid defensive option, however, he also had injury troubles of his own last season, having missed as many games as Ball did.
Bulls fans will be hoping that it's the 22 year-old second-year guard Dosunmu who continues to get in the good graces of head coach Billy Donovan.
In 41 games (38 starts) after Ball's January injury, Dosunmu averaged a solid 11.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in 34 minutes a night, impressive numbers for an unheralded rookie drafted 38th overall. Dosunmu is the closest player in the Bulls roster to replicating Ball's skillset, and fans will be hoping he takes a leap in the upcoming season.