Chicago Bulls: 3 offseason targets to help Donovan improve in 21-22

Chicago Bulls offseason targets to help Billy Donovan in Year 2: Lonzo Ball

The talk of the town among offseason trade/free agent targets for Karnisovas and the Bulls is the New Orleans Pelicans fourth-year 6-foot-6 and 190-pound point guard Lonzo Ball. With the Bulls having a lofty point guard problem to solve this summer, if Lonzo manages to sign to play in Chicago it could provide an immediate resolution.

With how much Lonzo improved his game in the last two seasons in NOLA, especially on the offensive end of the floor, he looks like a very potent fit with the Bulls’ newfound core. Lonzo has become a better shooter from deep, a solid one-on-one perimeter defender, and a true playmaker as a primary ball handler.

The problem that the Bulls could encounter in pursuit of Lonzo either by topping his offer sheet in restricted free agency, or pulling off a sign-and-trade deal with the Pelicans, is how high the bidding war could go. There are discussions going on that the annual salary for Lonzo’s next contract could eclipse $20 million if the bidding war really goes crazy.

That price tag might not be worth it for the Bulls this summer given how cap-strapped they could already be.

A piece from The Bird Writes (the Pelicans SB Nation site) gave the projection that Lonzo’s next contract would have him returning to NOLA on a four-year deal worth $85 million. If that is the case for Lonzo’s next contract, then it would take every bit of the Bulls’ remaining assets to get him to Chicago.

Nonetheless, defensive gaps in Donovan’s starting unit from last season could be plugged by the addition of Lonzo. And the offense would have a true playmaker to give the pick-and-roll scheme run through LaVine and Vooch a lot more space to operate.