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

2. Jevon Carter

One of several guards who have signed with the Bulls during Ball's absence, Jevon Carter has struggled during his stint with the team.

Signed in the 2023 offseason to a three-year, $19.5 million contract, Carter was far from the player he was just a season prior.

In 72 games played during the 2023-24 season (all off the bench), Carter averaged just 5.0 points, 1.3 assists and 0.8 rebounds in just under 14 minutes per game.

The 2023-24 season was his worst shooting year from three. Carter received several DNP-CDs from head coach Billy Donovan while he struggled to fit in with the team at times.

In the 2024-25 preseason and entering the second year of his deal, Carter's play has been similar to last season.

Carter did not play in the Bulls' preseason opener against the Cavaliers but would play their next three games. His time on the court dropped from game to game.

With the Bulls lineup heading into the regular season being mostly set at this point, Carter is expected to come off the bench. With Ball returning, though, and likely coming off the bench himself, Carter could see his minutes be further diminished.

With the team shifting its focus toward the younger players, Carter may see little time on the court.

If Ball can remain on the court during the season, he will likely spend most of the time as a backup guard alongside Ayo Dosunmu. With Carter having a player option for the 2025-26 season, the Bulls may look to move on from the backup guard by the deadline with Ball back on the active roster.

3. Josh Giddey

There is no player on the Bulls who will be more impacted by Ball's return more than Josh Giddey.

Acquired in the 2024 offseason in a trade for All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso, Giddey was essentially brought to the Bulls to be a Lonzo Ball replacement.

When asked about Giddey's role on the team and if he was seen as a replacement for himself during the Bulls media day in early October, Ball had the following to say about the team's newest guard:

"I think they’re trying to do what’s best for the team. Obviously, we had a lot of success when I was running point guard, getting rebounds, pushing it up, and Giddey is capable of doing the same thing. So, I look at it as like they want to win the most games as possible, and they feel like he can do it, we feel like he can do it, and that’s why he’s here."

- Lonzo Ball

Giddey has received his fair share of criticism going back to his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and has struggled at times with the Bulls in the preseason, particularly when it comes to shooting.

He has been able to stuff the stat sheets but has struggled from three.

The 2024-25 season is the most important season of Giddey's early career, as he is eligible for a rookie extension. While the Bulls have until the beginning of the 2024-25 season to sign him to an extension, they can also wait until the 2025 offseason and let him become a free agent.

While many expected the Bulls to sign Giddey to an extension prior to the beginning of the season as they traded an All-Defensive guard for him without receiving any draft picks, Ball's return may have an impact on not only Giddey's play but what kind of contract offer he receives from the Bulls.

Rumors have previously suggested the Bulls may move on from Ball following the season, but nothing has been set in stone.

If he can remain healthy throughout the season, Ball could be a valuable player for the Bulls going forward. While Ball and Giddey are very similar players, Ball historically has been a better shooter and defender.

While fans have only seen two games from Ball at the time of this writing, he showed he is much like the player he was before the injuries.

For Giddey, a healthy and available Ball is the worst thing that could happen to him in a contract season.