Bulls PG Lonzo Ball 'Ideal' Fit with Magic; Trade Coming?

The Orlando Magic was listed as a potential new landing spot for Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 15, 2023

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are looking to improve this offseason.

The two franchises were blockbuster trade partners in Feb. 2021 when Nikola Vucevic left the Magic for the Bulls, and Bleacher Report suggests the two could tango once again.

Bleacher Report curated the idea of the Bulls trading Lonzo Ball to the Magic this offseason.

"Maybe the uncertainty surrounding Lonzo Ball's upcoming season and entire basketball future makes him a scary trade target for an Orlando Magic team that should be angling for a playoff spot in 2023-24," Bleacher Report writes. "But the fit between a theoretically healthy Ball and this particular Magic roster is too good to ignore."

The key words in that paragraph are "theoretically healthy." Ball missed the entire season with a knee injury and could miss all of next season too. But a player of Ball's archetype is likely someone to make more sense for the Magic.

"The best version of Ball may never return, but that player would be ideal in Orlando," Bleacher Report writes. "A two-passes-ahead connector who makes decisions quickly, Ball doesn't need to run 15 pick-and-rolls per game to make his teammates better. He does that with hit-ahead outlets in transition, timely swing passes and a generally intuitive style that ensures cutters will be hit in stride. On D, he's been one of the league's more potent backcourt defenders and ball hawks."

There's been a lot of criticism towards the Magic's backcourt rotation with several players like Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs failing to reach that "perfect fit" for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. However, that backcourt trio has yet to give the Magic a reason why any of them would not work as the future point guard of the team, and Orlando has high hopes for all three of them, meaning it's very unlikely any of them are dealt this offseason unless it's an offer they can't refuse.

Ball is one offer the Magic can absolutely refuse, hang up and laugh at.

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Published Apr 15, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.