Chicago Bulls Veteran Linked as Sleeper Suggestion for Pistons

Does Lonzo Ball make sense for the Pistons?

Oct 28, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) reacts after a foul call during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

A two-game skid might have the Detroit Pistons front office coming back down to reality after a solid start to the 2024-2025 NBA season, but there’s plenty of basketball left to be played before the trade deadline.

Back in the summer, the Pistons’ front office made it pretty clear that they aren’t rushing their rebuilding process. Coming off of a 14-win season, it’s clear that playoffs—and even the Play-In—are a longshot.

But again, plenty of progress has been made.

The Pistons have won over 40 percent of their games through the first stretch of the season. They are in a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

NBA STANDINGS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THROUGH NOV, 22 GAMES
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If Detroit can keep up their competitive ways when Cade Cunningham is back in the mix after suffering an injury, there is a world where it might be worth looking for an additional player to help them make that postseason push.

PistonPowered’s Aaron Kellestrass recently mentioned Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball as a potential “sleeper” target if Detroit stays in the playoff mix.

“A healthy Ball is a player the Pistons could use, as he would provide a secondary creator, 3-point shooting and solid defense on the perimeter. He’s on an expiring contract and trading for him would give the Pistons an inside track to re-signing him on a short-term vet's minimum. Some team could get lucky with Lonzo, as he is still young and still good when he does play, but is going to have to take a lowball deal to re-establish his value.”

Oct 23, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) grabs a rebound against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

All trades are risks no matter what, and this one would certainly come with a huge red flag.

Over the last two seasons, Ball didn’t play due to a knee injury. When he joined the Bulls in 2021 after a two-season run with the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball appeared in just 35 games. When he was healthy and playing, he looked great by averaging 13 points and five assists on 42 percent shooting from three.

Again, healthy is the keyword.

Ball made his season debut with the Bulls during their home opener against the Pelicans. He checked in off the bench for 13 minutes. The following game, he got the night off as a precaution.

On October 26, Ball saw a slight minute increase as he checked in for 15 minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He then collected 16 minutes of action against the Memphis Grizzlies in the following game.

Since then, he’s been sidelined with another setback, dealing with a wrist injury. At this point, Ball has missed 13 games in a row.

An experienced backup guard should be on the Pistons’ trade market shopping list, and Ball shouldn’t be overlooked as a potential candidate. However, it’s become very clear he was one of the biggest gambles. At this point, NBA teams probably aren’t anticipating him to be a starter for the long haul in this league, but his shooting and playmaking in short stints off the bench could be valuable.