As a result of a lingering knee injury that could cost Lonzo Ball his career, the Bulls have applied for the Disabled Player Exception worth $10.2 million.
It has been nearly a year and a half since Lonzo Ball played his last game for the Chicago Bulls. At only 25 years old, he has had to undergo three knee surgeries since 2022. Before deciding to apply for the Disabled Player Exception, the Bulls had already ruled out Ball for the entire 2023-2024 season.
Now with the DPE in their sights, worth $10.2 million according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, it's about what they do with that exception.
By extending Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls have dug their feet even deeper into the sand that is their current core of Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine. They have nearly $90 million invested into their star trio next season, which is a lot of money to designate to three players who struggled to lead their team past the NBA Play-In Tournament this past season. There is a lot of pressure on this front office to turn this team around quickly.
With that being said, they will certainly be using the $10.2 million DPE to find a difference-making player.
Bulls rumors: 3 players Chicago can sign with Disabled Player Exception.
3. Kelly Oubre Jr.
It was an injury-riddled season for Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Hornets. He played in just 48 games this season but he recorded career-highs in points and steals per game. With Miles Bridges forced to sit out the 2022-23 season due to a legal matter, LaMelo Ball missing 46 games with nagging ankle injuries, and Gordon Hayward's inability to play more than 50 games, Oubre had to shoulder much of the offensive load alongside Terry Rozier this past season.
The revolving door that the Hornets called their rotation paved the way for Oubre to record the highest usage rate of his career (26.5 percent).
Oubre took advantage of the increased opportunity en route to averaging 20.3 points per game. However, it took him 17.1 field goal attempts per game to reach that total. If he were to sign with the Bulls, he'd be fourth (at best) in the pecking order for offensive touches.
While that may not be what Oubre wants to hear after having the ball in his hands so much with the Hornets, it should help him improve his efficiency. He shot just 31.9 percent from beyond the arc last season, which is a considerably steep decline from the 34.5 percent rate he shot the season prior.
Oubre is a 6-foot-7 forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and has shown he has the ability to defend multiple positions on the floor. The Bulls posted the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA last year and Oubre's combination of length and versatility would enable head coach Billy Donovan to keep him on the floor. Oubre would fill a nice complimentary role alongside their star trio and could potentially challenge Patrick Williams for the starting power forward spot.
2. Christian Wood
After going undrafted in 2015, Christian Wood first showed flashes of the player he has proven he can be with the Pistons during the 2019-2020 season. After that, he was traded to the Rockets later in 2020 in a deal that sent Trevor Ariza and Isaiah Stewart to the Pistons.
Once arriving at the Rockets, Wood became a full-time starter and began to take off. During the 2020-21 season, he averaged 21 points per game and 9.6 rebounds, while shooting over 50 percent from the field, and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc.
At age 25, Wood was quickly proving to be one of the better stretch forwards in the NBA. After having the two best seasons of his career with the Rockets, Houston decided to trade Wood to the Mavericks during the 2022 offseason on the last year of his contract. The Rockets are heavily invested in the development of Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun (in addition to just drafting Cam Whitmore from Villanova), it is an already-crowded frontcourt that doesn't have as much of a need for Wood.
When Wood arrived in Dallas, expectations were high. Wood was a major offseason addition that also didn't cost the Mavs much to acquire him since he was on an expiring contract. With the Mavs being able to retain their core and add Wood, it felt like a no-brainer decision.
Unfortunately, for both sides, things did not work out as planned. He started only 17 out of the 67 games he played (after starting in 108 out of 109 games with the Rockets), recorded his lowest scoring output since the 2019-2020 season (16.6 points per game), and was a massive liability on the defensive end of the floor to the point that it made it hard for head coach Jason Kidd to keep him on the floor late in games.
While he may not be as highly touted as he once was, Wood is just 27 years old and still shot over 37 percent from three. He is still a very capable player who can contribute on the offensive end of the floor and the Bulls could benefit from adding a scoring/shooting punch behind their trio of DeRozan/Lavine/Vucevic and Wood would certainly fit the bill.
1. Bol Bol
The Magic made a shocking decision to waive Bol Bol this week, as Tuesday was the deadline to fully guarantee his $2.2 million salary for next season. Bol is a 7-foot-2 forward who can put the ball on the floor, has range beyond the three-point line, and can pile up blocks in a hurry. If you don't believe me, see it for yourself:
The idea of Bol Bol was more intriguing than the on-court product in Bol's first three seasons. He played in 53 total games from 2019-22. But last season, it felt as though Bol was finally starting to put it together. So much so to the point that he established himself as a legitimate candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.
Through the first 25 games of the 2022-23 season, Bol posted averages of 12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and just under two blocks per game. Bol was even being compared to once-in-a-lifetime prospect Victor Wembanyama as a result of his unique combination of size and skill.
Similar to the players listed before him on this list, Bol would be able to slide into ample opportunity behind forward Patrick Williams. He'd provide three-point shooting ability, an additional rim presence, and a player who is capable of being a one-man wrecking crew in transition.
Turning 24 in November, Bol Bol is the ideal player the Bulls should target to sign with their Disabled Player Exception.
Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.
