On the surface, the upcoming offseason should be a critical one for the Chicago Bulls. The problem is, though, many fans said the exact same thing last year, and the organization had a different idea in mind.
Instead of parting ways with some of the team’s crippling contracts, it kept the core intact and even gave center Nikola Vucevic a three-year, $60 million extension. Injuries and underachieving talent continued to decimate the Bulls in 2023-24, as they finished with a lackluster record of 39-43. The team lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the second year in a row, scoring the exact number of points it did in 2023 (91).
Fans are begging management to deliver them from this painful case of deja vu and lead the franchise towards a promising direction. Will the Bulls brass listen? Since there is grave doubt surrounding the answer to that question, the city might be compelled to emotionally invest in the current players, or at least a few of them.
The emergence of Coby White was unquestionably the saving grace of an otherwise torturous and adversity-ridden season. At 24 years of age, the dynamic guard looks primed to be an All-Star candidate in the near future and a possible pillar to build around around. It is unclear who is backcourt mate will be heading into the 2024-25 campaign, however.
There is still a long way to go until that situation can be ironed out, but the player who might have the inside track on securing the role just made a big yet unsurprising contract decision.
Lonzo Ball is accepting his $21.4 million player option for next season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The snake-bitten point guard has not competed in an NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022.
Lonzo Ball hopes to pick up where he left off with Bulls
Ball’s ongoing injury problems make him an effective representation of the false hope that has seemingly pervaded this organization of late. The difference is, however, a healthy Lonzo Ball has earned the faith of Bulls fans.
While it might have been a fairly small sample size, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft enjoyed an offensive breakthrough in Chicago. He shot a career-high 42.3 percent from behind the 3-point line in 35 games with the team in 2021-22. But chronic left knee issues have kept him on the sidelines for what feels like an eternity, thereby halting the progression of both his career and the Bulls.
Ball started sprinting, cutting and jumping in March, giving fans some actual hope that he could be ready for action by the start of next season. There are still many checkpoints to clear, though. And who is to say the injuries will not reoccur when he returns to the court? The mind can only do so much when the body is intent on resisting.
Chicago has experienced firsthand the perils of wishful thinking. Multiple players on this team are not panning out like the front office envisioned. Banking on Lonzo Ball to be a focal point could result in more distress. But there is nothing wrong with expressing a realistic dose of optimism.
That is even easier to do since he is now officially guaranteed to be on the roster for the time being.
More must-reads: