Contender that needs a boost or financial relief
The third team is actually a bunch of teams, as Lonzo could be very helpful to the right contender, especially if there is an injury or depth issue.
I’d put the Warriors, Lakers, Pelicans, Heat, Bucks and Nuggets all into this category as teams that want to contend but may not have done enough this offseason to do it.
The Bulls should be focused on the Warriors and Nuggets here, as both have young players they can flip for guys who can help them win now. Given they’d only have to take on part of Lonzo’s deal, he could also offer financial relief to a team like the Nuggets if they underperform and want to get off a longer contract.
“If Lonzo is healthy” is a phrase we’ve written a lot, as his career has been one long what-if for the Bulls, but they can still salvage something from his time in Chicago if he shows he can play.