The Chicago Bulls and guard Lonzo Ball agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania, after several trade suitors emerged for Ball in recent days.
The second year of the deal is a team option, according to sources.
Ball this season made an unprecedented return from three arthroscopic knee surgeries, appearing in his first NBA game in over 1,000 days.
Yet, despite missing 2½ seasons, Ball has returned as a healthy and productive player for the Bulls. Chicago is outscoring teams by 5.8 points per 100 possessions with Ball on the floor.
In 30 games, Ball is averaging 7.2 points on 36% shooting with 3.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds. This while on a minutes restriction all season long as part of his recovery, which includes not playing both games of a back-to-back.
Ball, 27, missed about four weeks in November with a wrist injury, but has not missed extended time because of his knee.
He played sparingly for Chicago earlier in the season while on a strict minutes restriction, but the team has loosened up those restrictions as of late and he’s up to about 28 minutes per game.
Since the start of January, Ball is averaging around 24 minutes per game, scoring 9 points while shooting 36.8% from 3-point range. He has also moved into the starting lineup recently, starting each of his past eight games.
The Bulls traded their longest-tenured player, Zach LaVine, earlier this week as they continue rebuilding their roster, but view Ball as part of their long-term plans.
Despite the years off, Ball remains a unique talent as a long, 6-foot-6 guard. He’s an adept passer and 3-point shooter that also brings strong perimeter defense, making him an ideal fit in many different lineups, and the Bulls like his positive influence in the locker room.
Ball had been in the final year of a four-year contract he signed in the summer of 2021 and would have become a free agent this summer.