For guard Lonzo Ball, who is expected to miss the whole 2023–24 season, the Chicago Bulls have formally applied for a handicapped player exemption, a source told ESPN. If the NBA granted the exception, it would provide the Bulls financial freedom equal to around $10.2 million, or about half of Ball’s contract.
Teams can replace a player who is out for the full season because of this exemption. If approved, the Bulls would have the choice to sign a free agent to a one-year contract, trade for a player who is entering the final year of their contract, or claim that player.
What is NBA’s disabled player exception?
Lonzo Ball has undergone three operations to speed up his recuperation after suffering a torn meniscus that has kept him out of play since January 2022.
A club requests a disabled player exception if they anticipate that a player will miss the full season due to an injury. The NBA assesses the circumstance and decides whether or not to grant the exemption.
If accepted, the Bulls would be permitted to make an exception equal to $10.2 million, or half of Ball’s salary for the current season. This exception has several restrictions. The squad may only sign free agents to one-year contracts or trade for players who are in the last year of their contracts. It also has an impact on how the team determines its salary cap.
Although exceptions for handicapped players are not frequently requested, they are a useful tool for teams who are coping with long-term ailments since they help them to lessen the effect of the absence and maybe temporarily replenish their squad.
Bulls reportedly apply for disabled player exception due to Lonzo Ball injury
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Chicago Bulls have officially asked the NBA for a disabled player exception (DPE) worth $10.2 million since Lonzo Ball is expected to miss the whole 2023–24 season.
Due to concerns that Lonzo Ball would probably miss the entire 2017 season, the Chicago Bulls have formally requested a disabled player exception (DPE) worth $10.2 million. Ball’s extended absence due to a knee injury sustained in January 2022, which caused him to miss the whole 2022–23 season. The Bulls turned to the DPE after Ball’s recuperation failed despite enduring numerous procedures.
The Chicago Bulls have applied to the NBA for a Disabled Player Exception worth $10.2 million due to injury of Lonzo Ball, who is expected to miss the entire 2023-24 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2023
The Bulls currently exceed the salary cap by over $37 million, so the DPE would provide them crucial flexibility to improve their squad. The maximum value of the exception, which normally equals half of the player’s wage, is equal to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for the relevant season. The $10.2 million exemption in this instance corresponds to Ball’s anticipated compensation of $20.4 million.
The Bulls may use the DPE once it has been granted to sign, trade for, or claim a player-off waiver. The exemption only applies to one acquisition, though. Ball’s history of injuries has caused a problem for the Bulls, who extended his deal by four years and $85 million in 2021.
Ball made significant contributions before being hurt, helping Chicago earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference with strong stats in scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and shooting.
