Loyalty factored into Lonzo Ball‘s decision to accept a two-year, $20MM extension from the Bulls, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The second year is a club option, and if the Bulls exercise it, Ball’s total salary for the next two seasons will be less than the $21.4MM he’s making this year. It’s his way of repaying the team for believing in him while he was sidelined with knee issues for two and a half seasons.
“Just the overall picture,” Ball explained. “The doctor being out here, so not having to deal with the rehab process like I have the last couple years, the relationship I have with the front office, the coaching staff, the young guys here, it all made sense for me to stay. That’s what I wanted ultimately, and we were able to come to an agreement.”
The announcement of the extension was somewhat of a surprise considering that Ball had been heavily involved in trade rumors leading up to the February 6 deadline. He was also headed toward free agency this summer, which could have resulted in a much larger payday, but he prefers the stability of staying in Chicago.
“I’m in trade talks every year so that’s not a new thing to me, but I expressed to my agent (Rich Paul) that I wanted to stay, and they wanted to have me,” Ball said. “They stayed with me for probably the toughest journey in my life so far, so I was just trying to get back, man, and be loyal to who was loyal to me. I was brought up like that my whole life. I’m really big on family and I feel like it’s family here.”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- The front office may regret not fully embracing a tanking strategy at the deadline, Cowley states in a separate story. Chicago sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento, but held onto Ball and veteran center Nikola Vucevic, sending mixed signals about which direction the franchise is headed. Cowley advocates emulating the 9-45 Wizards, as well as the Rockets and Pistons, who were able to quickly rebuild after tanking in recent seasons. Beyond having a better shot at Cooper Flagg, the top prize in this year’s draft, Cowley points out that there will be three potential franchise players in the 2026 class.
- In another Sun-Times piece, Cowley tries to determine which players from the current roster should return next season. His list includes Ball, restricted free agent Josh Giddey, rookie Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and either Coby White or Ayo Dosunmu.
- Patrick Williams will miss Thursday’s game at New York with soreness in his right quadriceps tendon, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Williams banged knees with another player in the final game before the All-Star break, but the injury doesn’t appear serious as he was able practice without restrictions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Gonna be really tough to emulate what Houston has pulled off. Especially when they got a decent package for Harden and you got squat for LaVine
I mean Harden was 10000x the player LaVine is
Patrick Williams is the gift that keeps destroying my soul for this team.
The future is looking bright raz. Just think, you could’ve drafted Patrick O’Bryant, Ike Diogu, and Todd Fuller three years in the top 10 or 11. Talk about putting the franchise back a few years lol
Scouting is way better and teams don’t get burned as often nowadays so your bulls should be just fine. They’ll draft very well the next couple of years and be right on track.
Easier said than done my friend. Been waiting for 27 years lol
2 – 3 peats should last 40 years.
Start complaining in another 15.
????? They won their first title in 1991. It’s been 34 years.
Math isn’t mathing
There’s really no justification for Vuce still being on the roster at this point. One has to wonder if the Bulls front office has any real plan.
Tank…
Season is dooooooomed…
Realistically 5th and down in the East aren’t title contenders every year… So any team on that treadmill of mediocrity is better off pulling the pin and tanking a season or 2…
I can’t agree with the AI take that the Pistons “quickly” rebuilt. They have been plain awful for a decade.
Yeah that one made me laugh
Bulls are clueless. Why is the coach still there. Ball would’ve gotten a minimum contract next yr as a FA.
Vucevic definitely should have been moved. This draft is loaded. Two picks would have done this team right.
It’s really nice that Lonzo Ball is paying back the Bulls by accepting $20 mil.