Lonzo Ball has been out for two seasons because of a knee injury.
He’s only played 35 games for the Bulls since his big contract in 2021, and now he’s in the final year of that deal. But it looks like the Bulls have found someone to fill his shoes by bringing in Josh Giddey and sending Alex Caruso to the Thunder.
During a chat on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Billy Donovan talked about how Giddey and Ball are similar players.
“If think if you go back to when Lonzo Ball was first healthy, we played a lot faster and maybe a lot different,” Donovan said. “…Hopefully, we can get Lonzo back. He’s moving closer and closer to playing, which is a positive. I think he’s a guy that everyone enjoys playing with. I think the same can be said for Josh. He’s kind of a pass-first guy. Really good advance passing. Getting it up the floor, I think will allow us to play faster than we have in the last couple of years.”
“Hopefully we can get Lonzo back. He’s moving closer…he’s a guy that everyone enjoys playing with and I think the same can be said for Josh”
Billy Donovan sees similarities with Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball w/ @TheFrankIsola @darthamin & Ryan McDonough #NBA2KSummerLeague
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA)
Giddey’s Potential:
Giddey is starting his fourth season in the NBA and has shown he’s skilled both offensively and defensively. His game resembles Ball’s style quite closely.
However, after being out for two years, it might be tough for Ball to quickly get back into form even if he’s fit again. Fans might wonder if Giddey will end up taking over as the main playmaker while Ball comes off the bench.
If Ball can’t return to his top defensive form from his Pelicans days, this could be his last season with Chicago. Giddey is younger, potentially an All-Star soon, and doesn’t carry any major injury concerns.
Chicago may struggle to trade him due to his injuries and hefty contract but letting him go next summer seems more likely unless he makes an impressive comeback this season.
Fans might feel excited about Giddey’s arrival but also concerned about what it means for Ball’s future with their team.
In short: Do you think Lonzo can bounce back or is it time for Chicago to move on?
