Loyalty is an essential fabric woven deep into the Ball Family.
So the fact that the Bulls never gave up hope that Lonzo Ball would return from an experimental left knee surgery that cost him two-plus seasons, resonated with the point guard.
He was down and the Bulls stood by him.
Ball figured last week he could return the favor.
That’s when the veteran agreed to a hometown discount to stay with the Bulls, signing a two-year, $20 million extension with the second year being a team option.
On Wednesday, he explained why.
“Just the overall picture,” Ball said of his reasoning. “The doctor being out here, so not having to deal with the rehab process like I have the last couple years, the relationship I have with the front office, the coaching staff, the young guys here, it all made sense for me to stay. That’s what I wanted ultimately, and we were able to come to an agreement.”
And Ball didn’t just take a haircut from the $21.4 million he was making this season, it was a full buzz cut. More than worth it for the eighth-year player.
Ball was hearing his name in trade rumors as the deadline was approaching, maybe could have explored free agency this summer and have made more on the market even with all the health concerns, but his heart wasn’t looking to go elsewhere.
“To be honest I just wanted to stay here,” Ball continued. “I’m in trade talks every year so that’s not a new thing to me, but I expressed to my agent (Rich Paul) that I wanted to stay, and they wanted to have me.
“They stayed with me for probably the toughest journey in my life so far, so I was just trying to get back, man, and be loyal to who was loyal to me. I was brought up like that my whole life. I’m really big on family and I feel like it’s family here.”
One that is dealing with a lot of change.
When Ball first agreed to the sign-and-trade to become a Bull back in the 2021 offseason, he also came along with DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, joining Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine on a team that was looking to get deep into the postseason.
It had all the makings to do just that, with the Bulls atop the Eastern Conference as Ball first injured the knee on Jan. 14 of that season. No one could have guessed it would be his last NBA game until the start of this season.
A lot has changed within the locker room since Ball first went down through this latest trade deadline, with DeRozan, Caruso and LaVine all traded. Vucevic was shopped heavily since last summer and will be again this offseason, so Ball could be the last remaining piece of that starting group.
A scenario he has already embraced as reality.
If he has to play mentor on a rebuilding team, he’s not opposed to taking that role.
“For sure, and I think we’ve got some young guys here that need some leadership and be great in the time being,” Ball said. “Just be that guy they can look to, be that voice in the locker room. Just be a shoulder people can lean on and calm things down when I’m on the court. Bring the ball up, put people in the right position, just do the little things to try and help people out offensively and defensively to have my presence felt.”