Chicago Bulls Point Guard Fits: Lonzo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans
The Bulls didn’t trade for Lonzo Ball prior to this year’s deadline despite significant effort on their end. It’s clear they value what Ball brings to the table and see him as an ideal fit next to LaVine in the backcourt. That makes complete sense as Ball is everything you’d want in a guard sharing the backcourt with LaVine. He also fits well when you add in Vucevic, proving the Bulls pursuit of him should continue in the offseason.
Lonzo is a defensive game-changer already and is becoming a very good offensive player as he spends more time in the NBA. He leads this list by a wide margin due to what he brings immediately and what he offers in long-term upside. Ball is still just 23 years old and already one of the game’s best defensive guards.
The defensive fit is obvious as he’d instantly become the Bulls best perimeter defender and covers the other guard’s weaknesses on that end. Given the Bulls struggles in protecting the rim, a defensive stopper like Ball is the perfect fit. He would help lessen the number of times opposing guards can get to the rim.
He also is among the best rebounding point guards in the NBA today. Although his rebounding numbers are down this year it’s not necessarily an accurate representation of what he can do on the glass. In his rookie season be brought down 6.9 rebounds per game for the Lakers. On the Bulls he would be one of the team’s most important players in cleaning the glass on a nightly basis. That’s a huge weakness right now as Vucevic is the only truly strong rebounder guaranteed to be around next season.
Lastly, Ball is a better offensive asset than most fans realize. Often knocked for his shooting, Ball is a 35.2 percent three-point shooter in his NBA career. Last season he hit on 37.5 percent of those shots, and this year that number is at 38.5 percent.
Lonzo is the perfect point guard to play alongside the Bulls core and should be atop the teams’ free agent targets when the 2021 NBA offseason rolls around.