Lonzo Ball suffered a knee injury in January, which has kept him out of the court since. With the Bulls guard recently undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, Ball’s return to the court doesn’t seem close.
So as we wait to hear his status for the season, the race to take his position as the starting guard in the Bulls roster seems so intense.
First, replacing Lonzo Ball as a whole will be almost impossible. Ball had season averages of 5.4 rebounds, 13 points, and 5.1 assists per game. This may look low-key to many, but his impact on the Bulls is far beyond average. Both on and off the court, Lonzo Ball had a huge pay-off on the Bull’s defense. No wonder Chicago’s defense had a lot of struggles in his absence.
Furthermore, Ball has established himself and earned a reputation as one of the best perimeter guards in basketball. His improvement in his shooting skills makes him an increasingly valuable player. So to replace Ball, the Chicago Bulls will have to iron out many unknowns.
If, in any case, the Bulls are considering either Goran Dragic, Alex Caruso, or Ayo Dosunmu for the position, then from an in-depth analysis, we may find out who is most likely to carry the day in and increase their chances in the NBA odds.
Coming home with the dub. Back at it Tuesday! @Plus500 | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/PzwJMq9zy2
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 10, 2022
Alex Caruso
Alex Caruso is, without a doubt, a much-loved player and has become one of the most popular figures in the league. With six seasons as a professional basketball player, Caruso has undergone a hauling landscape of roles, teams, and expectations.
He started with the Oklahoma City Blue as an undrafted rookie, but he burst into stardom with the Los Angeles Lakers and won his first NBA championship.
Caruso then transferred to the Bulls after signing a four-year, $37 million contract. Injuries have eaten most of his time, but in total health, Caruso knows how to give the opposing forwards a hard time.
He has a career scoring average of 6.2 and about 37% on threes, though he had just 33% last season when he played only 41 games due to multiple injuries. Caruso is, without a doubt, one of the best defenders in the NBA, but his game is just too dangerous for a team like the Chicago Bulls.
On several occasions, he has admitted that his style is so perilous, and he shouldn’t dive for every loose ball until maybe in the playoffs, but it seems like he can’t adhere to that. The number of injuries he suffered last season is also too much for a starting point guard, considering the person he’s replacing is also down due to an injury.
In their recent game against the Pelicans, Caruso had a fair showing but five fouls! He could have done better because that game was also vital in determining the Bulls’ next starting guard.
Watching Alex Caruso play >>>@ACFresh21 | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/afFSH3S3wA
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 8, 2022
Goran Dragić
With over 14 years in the NBA, Dragic is one of the oldest and most experienced players in the league at the moment. He’s actually the most senior on the Bulls roster.
He has only stayed for a few weeks in Chicago (at least as a player for the Bulls). Now, Dragic was brought in as one of the most preferred replacements for the ailing Lonzo Ball. Bulls coach Billy Donovan at Media Day Monday, noted that Dragic was the most experienced guard on their roster.
But honestly, age has caught up with Goran Dragic. And if you need him close to the team for a long time, starting is not the best option.
In the Bulls’ Wednesday 129-125 preseason-opening loss to the Pelicans at the United Center, Dragic showed a significantly worse performance than the other two contenders for this position; Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu. Dragic was on the court for 13 minutes, and during this time, he registered only one assist and three turnovers. Furthermore, his 13 minutes on the court didn’t end without some boos from the crowd — Dragic air-balled a 3-point attempt on an open shot, and fans went wild.
Nobody expected Dragic to go all out in the game, but this was his time to shine. Instead, he wasted that vital opportunity.
I’M BACK ….. 🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮 #TheDragon 🐲🔥 @kzs_si @EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/ebV1VnnqM6
— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) August 5, 2022
Ayo Dosunmu
The upcoming 2022–23 NBA season is Dosunmu’s second season in the NBA after being selected 38 overall in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He started half the games last season and averaged 8.8 points, and shot almost 38 percent on threes.
He’s still the most likely point guard to take Ball’s position, and Wednesday’s game speaks a lot. Dosunmu displayed an exemplary performance with 10 points, 3 assists, and two rebounds.
And even without the ball in his hands, Dosunmu tried to find other ways to impact the game and knocked down most of the attempts from beyond the arc.
The Bulls’ coaching staff will likely go ahead with their search mission before the regular league kicks off, but Dosunmu stands a better chance.
Ayo Dosunmu became the 25th player in Bulls franchise history to be named All-Rookie.
📰 | @SamSmithHoops
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 19, 2022
Credits on Featured Image: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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