Lonzo Ball isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The Chicago Bulls reached a two-year, $20 million contract extension with the former No. 2 overall pick on Wednesday night, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal came just ahead of the trade deadline as multiple teams were apparently interested in Ball. The Bulls, however, locked him down through the 2026-27 season.
The 27-year-old Ball averaged seven points (on 38/35/79 shooting splits), 3.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 combined blocks and steals in 20.8 minutes a game over 26 appearances for the Bulls (20-27) this season.
A remarkable comeback story, Ball returned this season after missing 1,000 days to a series of debilitating left knee problems. At various points in his rehabilitation Ball reportedly could not run and even had trouble climbing stairs. In March 2023 he underwent an unprecedented cartilage replacement.
To play again was a minor miracle. To play himself into position to be a trade asset is more remarkable.
When he is right Ball is an exceptional playmaker and plus defender who developed himself into a 42.3% 3-point shooter to start the 2021-22 season. It was his contribution in the early part of that campaign that led the Bulls to believe they could become a serious playoff contender. And then he suffered his knee injury.
The Bulls have made the playoffs just once since signing Ball to a four-year, $80 million contract in 2021 — a first-round exit in 2022, when he was still recovering from the first of three surgeries on his knee.
Ball has not appeared in a playoff game since being selected second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 draft — one spot ahead of Jayson Tatum. The Bulls were, at best, vying for their annual entry into the play-in tournament. The current roster construction had run its course. The Bulls traded Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan in the summer, and Zach LaVine was dealt to the Sacramento Kings earlier this week. It feels like a teardown in Chicago, but Ball will be part of that.
