The 3 Bulls players affected most by Lonzo Ball's return

1. Zach LaVine

Prior to the 2021-22 season, Zach LaVine lacked a competitive team around him, but more specifically, a guard that set the floor.

When Ball came to the Bulls in the summer of 2021, it would spark a hot start for the Bulls in the 2021-22 season.

In the 33 games he played alongside Ball before his injury, he averaged 24.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The Bulls would be the top seed in the East at the time of Ball's injury, and this would be the last season LaVine would land an All-Star nod to this date.

Now two and a half seasons later, things are very different for LaVine and the Bulls.

The Bulls have made and lost in the Play-In Tournament twice, with many of the team's failures being placed on LaVine. It came out early last season that LaVine was open to the team looking for a trade for him, with the team being unable to find a trade partner.

Many expect the Bulls to head toward the bottom of the standings this season in hopes of keeping their top-10 protected 2025 draft pick owed to the San Antonio Spurs.

At the same time, many expect the Bulls to try to rehab LaVine's trade stock in hopes a team would be willing to take on his big contract.

With Ball back on the court, some of the pressure will be taken off LaVine, allowing him to do what he does best. One of the better catch-and-shoot and off-ball shooters in the league, LaVine could once again thrive as he did when Ball was playing.

For the Bulls, this could either help in rehabbing LaVine's stock or show the Bulls that LaVine could still be a key member of the team with the right point guard beside him.