Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (foot) continues to rehab his surgically repaired left foot ahead of training camp, which starts Oct. 1. Back in July, Williams told Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic that everything felt good, there wasn't any pain or swelling, and that he was running and jumping. Fast forward to August, where the Bulls met up in Miami for some voluntary workouts, and Williams was forced to stop participating after he experienced discomfort in the same foot he had surgery on. As of right now, it's unclear if he'll be ready by the start of training camp, and then the discussion turns to whether he'll be ready by the start of the regular season. Williams appeared in just 43 games last year and averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine has been in the middle of the rumor mill for a couple of seasons already, but it seems like he hasn't let that keep him away from team activities. According to Darnell Mayberry of the Athletic, LaVine is buying into the voluntary workouts and the player-led minicamps throughout the offseason. LaVine and the team are still working on trade options, but he's working to be an asset to his teammates in the meantime. He was present and a full participant when the team traveled to Miami for workouts, and when they went back to Chicago for some practices before training camp started. If LaVine stays on the Bulls for a portion of this coming season, he's likely to get plenty of offensive opportunities after DeMar DeRozan departed for Sacramento.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) continues to move toward a return to the National Basketball Association. The 26-year-old hasn't played since January 2022, undergoing multiple surgical procedures on his left knee, including receiving a meniscus transplant from a donor. Fortunately, he increased his workload throughout the summer, progressing to five-on-five scrimmages. Before going down with the injury, Ball had one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals. He also shot a much-improved 42.3% from deep. With that said, Ball will likely see the court sparingly once he's cleared to return. But the Bulls have a loaded backcourt featuring Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu. Zach LaVine is also still in the picture, at least for now. As a result, if Ball will have any value for fantasy managers in 2024-25, it may not come for at least a few months, meaning he won't see much attention during fantasy drafts.

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Zach LaVine looks set to remain in the Windy City for the start of 2024-25 despite being one of the biggest names in trade rumors this offseason. No deal to move LaVine has materialized, and Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has now reported that the Bulls are "working on mending their relationship" with LaVine. The two-time All-Star will look to produce a bounce-back campaign this season after averaging fewer than 20 points for the first time in six years last term. He looks well-placed to get back to his best, with DeMar DeRozan moving to Sacramento, which should allow LaVine to play a bigger role offensively.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, power forward EJ Liddell has agreed a deal with the Chicago Bulls. The 23-year-old Illinois native moves to Chicago after being released by the Phoenix Suns. The Suns waived Liddell two weeks ago after acquiring him in an offseason trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. After going 41st in the 2022 draft, Liddell tore his right ACL, delaying his NBA debut. He made his first eight appearances in the league last season with the Pelicans, averaging 2.9 minutes. The young forward has done very little in the Association, but he showed off good ability with the Birmingham Squadron in the G League, notching 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 2023-24.