1) Intriguing pre-deadline Chicago Bulls rumors
Lonzo Ball movement from the Pelicans
If there’s any way that Karnisovas and the Bulls would be able to steal away the improving former UCLA Bruin and the Pelicans two-way 6-foot-6 point guard Lonzo Ball ahead of this year’s deadline, they should do it without hesitation. It feels like Lonzo was on the Bulls radar for a while now, and this trade destination makes sense for both parties.
Any world where Lonzo wants to take his talents back to a big market team, especially if he wants to try his hand in the East, should present a scenario where Karnisovas and the Bulls are calling up the Pelicans right away. Trading for Lonzo does present an interesting situation for any team that could do so, though.
Lonzo is set to become a restricted free agent next offseason, which means that he is a low-risk option at the point guard position for the Bulls. But if they want to keep him over the long term, it is going to cost them in the near term. Lonzo might not come cheap to them either, and there’s no guarantee that he would want to return to the Windy City next offseason.
This is the best season of Lonzo’s career to date with how productive and efficient he’s been for the Pelicans in the first half of the regular season schedule. Given the Bulls need to add a true point guard for this young core, and soon, Lonzo is a trade target that makes a lot of sense. It would be a lot of fun to see how Lonzo and LaVine would be able to play together in the same starting backcourt.