Lonzo Ball has gone from trade bait to a new long-term deal in Chicago.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported the surprising news on Wednesday that the Bulls have decided to give the veteran guard Ball a contract extension. Ball’s new deal with Chicago is for two years and is worth $20 million, Charania adds.
The news comes with just one day to go before the NBA trade deadline. Ball, the 27-year-old ex-No. 2 overall pick, had recently been drawing interest from multiple playoff teams as he was on an expiring contract. Instead though, Ball is now sticking around in Chicago through 2026-27.
Many were expecting the Bulls to finally cut bait on Ball, who has appeared in just 65 total games for them ever since they signed him to a four-year contract back in 2021. That included a stretch where he missed over two-and-a-half calendar years due to a nagging knee injury.
But Ball is back on the court and playing well again, averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 assists in 21.9 minutes per game this season as more of a 3-and-D specialist. While a new multi-year contract for Ball from Chicago was not on anybody’s bingo card, it could end up being a serious bargain, the obvious injury risk aside. Ball’s extension is worth exactly half per year of what his original Bulls contract was (four years and $80 million) and may end up looking even better under the NBA’s new salary cap, which is set to get a boost from the league’s fresh television contracts.
