The NBA has approved the Bulls‘ request for a disabled player exception as a result of point guard Lonzo Ball‘s knee injury, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The ailment has kept Ball shelved since January of 2022 and has required three surgeries to date. Earlier this summer, team president Arturas Karnisovas indicated that Chicago expects the point guard to miss all of the 2023/24 NBA season.
A disabled player exception is granted when an NBA-appointed physician rules that a player is more likely than not to be sidelined through June 15 of that league year.
Ball will earn $20.46MM this season, meaning the Bulls’ DPE will be worth $10.23MM. It could be used to add a new free agent, bring in a player off waivers, or acquire someone as part of a trade. A free agent could only be signed to a one-year deal, while a player acquired via waivers or trade would have to be in the final year of his contract.
As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes, the Bulls are currently only about $8MM below the luxury tax line. Should Chicago be inclined to make bigger moves beyond adding a veteran’s minimum signing or two and retaining restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu, the disabled player exception could be a powerful mechanism, though using most or all of it would likely push team salary into the tax.
Ball underwent a cartilage transplant surgery in March to correct his knee issues, in what Johnson suggests was generally thought to be a final bid to salvage his pro career.
Since joining the Bulls on a four-year, $80MM contract in a sign-and-trade with the Pelicans, the former No. 2 overall pick has appeared in just 35 contests. He was a highly effective perimeter defender, passer and three-point shooter (42.3% on 7.4 attempts) for Chicago when healthy, and a big part of the club’s surprise success through the first half of the 2021/22 season.
The Bulls have underwhelmed while trying to replace Ball’s production at the position in a piecemeal fashion.
Can they use it at all
Perhaps this is what Christian Wood has been waiting for?
Doesn’t really fit what they need but at this point, why not? Not like the Bulls aren’t going anywhere regardless. Might as well lean further into the all offense, no defense build.
Christian Wood does fit a need for the Bulls. Bulls need tall athletic interior players.
With carter, craig, and caruso they have plenty of defense. Maybe you meant in the paint?
Yeah, more so in the paint. Wood is definitely not a help there.
No idea how Lonzo passed his Bulls physical, seems like physicals are a sham once a team and player agree to a deal.
Duh this is silvers NBA
Wood or Kelly Oubre?
Like Christian Wood and Oubre a lot, especially Wood. Can the Bulls afford Wood?
Fournier, Quickly, Grimes, #1 pick ……..
DeM DeR to Knicks !!!!
He’s an expiring contract. And you get your PG ……. get it done.
Fournier, hart and picks for DeRozan
I don’t see the Bulls going for this.
They do need a PG.
This is very true, and while I’m not here to throw any shade at Quickley (he’s good), how much of an improvement is he over Coby White and Jevon Carter?
The team seems committed to running it back with their core, and would prefer who they have (White, Carter and a couple other young guys) alongside Demar over Quickley and whoever would replace Demar in the lineup.
Patrick Williams would replace DeMar, at SF where he belongs. But not sure if Quickley is actually an upgrade over Carter. The Bulls need to get a PF in the deal, and Nix ain’t trading Randle apparently, since they dumped Toppin.
I think Quickley is an upgrade over all of them.
Immanuel Quickley has averaged 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 27 games as a starter in his career.
He has improved as a true PG. And is still getting better. Grimes at worst is a solid backup SG. Who can shoot and play D. Both still have upside. Fournier can be flipped at TD. And you have a #1 pick. For a guy who is not resigning. Bulls are a playoff team imo.
I know he isn’t the easiest guy to feel bad for given how his dad and all the hype when he first came into the league and such. But this does suck for him and I feel for someone who’s had their dream taken from them like this at such a young age. That does really suck and I hope he does find a way to play again even if it’s not quite up to the career he looked like he was going to have before all this.
Play? Hope he can walk again without pain.
Just imagine the Lakers picked J.Tatum instead of Ball… instead Magic Johnson picked Lamar’s son…(-_-)