The Chicago Bulls made it clear that they are beginning a rebuild at this year’s trade deadline. They traded away Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings and will likely look to move Nikola Vucevic in the offseason.

Bulls rejected a trade involving Lonzo Ball

However, they decided to keep versatile point guard Lonzo Ball and subsequently extended him for two years and $20 million. His market did have some competition, though, and John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that the Bulls turned down an offer for Ball that would’ve had them receive a first-round pick.

“According to a league source, the Bulls had a firm offer to get a first-round pick and take on future money for Lonzo Ball and extended him instead. Good news, though: 12 of the Bulls’ players are signed for next season,” Hollinger wrote.

Getting a first-round pick for Ball would’ve been very beneficial for Chicago, as they are nowhere close to seriously competing for a championship and could have used that draft capital and extra money to jumpstart a rebuild.

Ball is beneficial for a rebuild as long as he stays healthy

However, the Bulls value the 27-year-old Ball highly, and there is good reason to. He’s a 6-6 guard with great playmaking abilities and is a strong defensive player, and he is someone that a team like Chicago can commit to as part of a rebuild.

This season, he is averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 rebounds but he is only playing roughly 21 minutes per game. The Bulls are being extra careful with Ball after he missed the previous two-and-a-half seasons with significant knee injuries, and they can use the rest of this season to get him fully back into rhythm.

However, if he suffers another severe injury, the Bulls might regret passing up on the opportunity to secure a first-round pick for him. The less he sees the court, the more his value on the market will drop.

Ultimately, Chicago is playing a risky game with Ball, but as long as he stays healthy, it could pay off as they look to rebuild their roster.