A big problem for first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls so far this season is the lack of a true point guard option as a go-to in the starting five. At the outset of this regular season slate, the Bulls looked to go with the second-year former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Coby White as their starter at this position.
So far, White has not delivered any sort of consistent results playing at the point guard position still early on in the 2020-21 campaign. The Bulls also don’t have a long-term answer as their starting point guard from the lengthy combo guard/wing Tomas Satoransky. Since he has played nearly all of his minutes this season at the two guard or on the wing, Sato isn’t filling his usual point guard role thus far.
An obvious option that comes to mind for what the Bulls can do to solve their point guard woes is turn to the trade market ahead of the deadline. First-year executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have a lot of trade chips to work with this season, and there’s some names out there that should intrigue this duo.
One that recently came about from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on his podcast “The Hoop Collective” on Feb. 1 is the New Orleans Pelicans lengthy two-way point guard and former UCLA Bruin Lonzo Ball. If the Pelicans do decide to part ways with Lonzo at some point this season, then the Bulls could be a solid big market landing spot for him.
The 23-year-old California native and former Los Angeles Laker is now in his fourth year in the NBA, and found more consistency in his game in the last two seasons with the Pelicans. We know what Ball brings to the table, and hopefully his increased shooting efficiency he put on display from downtown last season continues for the rest of this campaign.
What Lonzo could do for Chicago Bulls
Ball has started in all 15 games he’s played in for the Pelicans so far this season, averaging around 31 minutes on the floor per game. He’s also averaged a career high 12.5 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks. And Ball shot 40.0 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 58.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Moreover, Ball is a really good defender and facilitator that can be a true point guard for the Bulls. He’s registered a career 1.0 defensive box plus/minus rating, 6.7 defensive win shares, 2.2 steal percentage, and 1.7 block percentage. Ball also posted a career assist percentage north of 27.0, and averages 6.5 rebounds per game for his career to date.
The Bulls aren’t getting solid one-on-one defending or consistent facilitating ability out of White so far this season. While White’s assist numbers are steadily improving this season, which is no doubt a good sign for his development, the rest of his game isn’t coming along as anticipated.
White has started in all 18 games he’s played in for the Bulls so far this season, averaging around 34 minutes on the floor per game. And he’s averaged 15.5 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.1 blocks. White’s shot 40.7 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 86.0 percent from the free-throw line.
On the night of Feb. 1, the Bulls will take on the improving New York Knicks at home at the United Center. They will try to snap their three-game losing streak and notch their eighth win of the season so far, with tip off set for 7 p.m. CT.