When the Chicago Bulls traded for Lonzo Ball in a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, it looked like a win for Chicago.
They gave up Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick to get a talented player in a trade that looked like a steal for the Bulls. Satoransky and Temple were both washed, so they essentially gave up one second-round pick for Lonzo Ball.
The trade looked even better when Ball came to the Bulls and started clicking and Chicago briefly (oh so briefly) looked like a contender in the Eastern Conference.
But Ball has played just 35 games in three seasons, so even though the Bulls gave up next to nothing to get him, this was the definition of a lose-lose trade.
The trade details were finalized in the draft, when the 76ers (who ended up with the pick the Bulls traded the Pelicans) chose Adem Bona with the 41st pick.
The Lonzo Ball deal is done, and after this season, his time in Chicago will also likely be finished, but this trade may have provided a preview of the future for the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls on the other side in possible sign-and-trade of DeMar DeRozan
It appears as if DeMar DeRozan is finished in Chicago, though nothing is official until he signs a deal with another team.
The market is not robust for DeRozan, so I wouldn’t completely rule out a return to Chicago. With LeBron James taking a huge deal to stay in LA, the market may have diminished even more.
The Bulls are hoping for a sign-and-trade if they do lose him, much like the one the Pelicans orchestrated with Lonzo Ball. Unlike the Ball trade, the Bulls are on the other side with no leverage.
If they can even find a way to do a sign-and-trade, you can expect a similar deal (or worse) than the one the Pelicans got for Ball.
It would be better than nothing, but given the Bulls are apparently embracing a rebuild, it makes even less sense that they didn’t trade DeMar DeRozan earlier to avoid this very thing happening.