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Lakers Rumors: If Former PG is Bought Out, Should LA Pursue?

Apr 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; THe Los Angeles Lakers logo on the video board at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls and OKC Thunder shocked the NBA world Thursday by swapping Alex Caruso and Josh Giddey. The trade not only fortified OKC’s defense and Chicago’s facilitator depth, but also offered the Bulls some insurance in case their time with point guard Lonzo Ball is up. New reporting suggests that reality could come sooner than later.

Lakers Rumors: If Former PG is Bought Out, Should LA Pursue?

Background

Ball last played on Jan. 14, 2022, when the Bulls took on the Golden State Warriors and lost 138-96. He tallied 15 points, two rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes. After tearing his meniscus that game—the same one he tore with the Lakers in 2018—multiple surgeries and subsequent recovery have caused him to miss the last two and a half seasons. His 2021-22 campaign saw him play and start in 35 games. He averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists on .423/.423/.750 splits in that span.

Although Ball has progressed into on-court work, his lack of availability has left the Bulls searching for stability at point guard. They seem to have found it with Giddey, but the trade has led to questions about Ball’s future with the franchise. Lonzo recently opted into his $21 million Player Option for next season. However, with Chicago acquiring Giddey and growing concerns over Ball’s health, many wonder if that game against the Warriors was his last one in a Bulls uniform.

Lakers-Lonzo Reunion?

If this is officially the end of Lonzo Ball’s time in Chicago, some Lakers fans have pointed to the purple and gold as a potential landing spot if he gets bought out.

The Lakers, who finally have their head coach in JJ Redick, could entertain the possibility of reuniting with their former no. 2 pick. In two seasons with the team, the UCLA product averaged 10 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game on .380/.315/.437 splits.

Assuming Lonzo is at 100% prior to the start of next season, it would not hurt to take a flier on him once again—especially if it’s significantly cheaper than the $20 million he made last year. Ball showed plenty of promise when he was healthy, serving as the Bulls’ perfect playmaker next to Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. His familiarity with Los Angeles and LeBron James is an obvious bonus, and with his improved three-point shooting, there’s no doubt he’d fill the team’s point guard depth like a charm. Adding Anthony Davis this time around could make for a troubling trio out west.

And as for whether he’d fit with LA’s newest leader? There’s an answer for that, too.

If the stars align, Ball could be an ideal starting guard on a team-friendly contract, or at least ramp up to one to begin the season. However, there are legitimate concerns about his health following such a lengthy absence. It’s why while some fans may welcome him back with open arms, others are more skeptical and believe that the ship has already sailed. The Lakers are prioritizing health next to LeBron and AD. Adding Ball to this roster would only make for a “high-risk, high-reward” scenario that may not even pan out in the first place.

The Last Word

Though a reunion with Lonzo Ball might work for the Lakers, it doesn’t seem worth it considering what he’s gone through in the past couple seasons. Even when he was a Laker, Ball only played in 99 games over his two seasons in LA, and he has yet to play more than 65 games in his career. There are also other, healthier point guards out there—both on the Lakers and in free agency—that wouldn’t make a pursuit of Zo worthwhile for Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka.

Jordan Pagkalinawan

Jordan Pagkalinawan

Jordan Pagkalinawan is a journalism student at Emerson College who writes NBA articles across various platforms. He currently interns for CBS Sports, helping cover stories for their editorial team. Aside from his work with Last Word on Sports, he is also active on Medium and has managed social media for PerThirtySix, a sports site focused on data visualizations. He can also be found giving his thoughts on the league with his show, “The Boundless & Ballin’ Podcast,” on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

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