It’s not how to start, it’s how to end. Lonzo Ball himself will likely confirm this.
At the right time, after being traded by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers in the trade package that saw Anthony Davis headed to Tinseltown to partner with LeBron James, Ball has grown noticeably. As a result, 23-year-old Angeleno will enter the restricted freedom of representation on August 2nd as a highly regarded prospect who has shown that he can influence multiple facets of a basketball game.
Aside from being a significant improvement from the three-point line, Ball is a powerful rebounder with excellent field views – a rare combination that allows him to give his teammates easy fast-break opportunities. He’s also a solid defender who can hold multiple positions.
After a career year averaging 14.6 points, 5.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals, there are many reasons to believe that the oldest Ball brother will continue to grow as a professional.
Where will he be when he tries to evolve? That is the question.
Ball is pretty versatile and could probably find a way to make a positive impact on most of the teams in the NBA, but in this case we’re identifying five potential applicants. It’s worth noting that the New Orleans Pelicans can match any bid sheet that Ball signs unless they waive it.
BOSTON CELTICS
It appears Brad Stevens hadn’t even finished unpacking the boxes in his new office when he found a buyer for Kemba Walker and happily welcomed Al Horford to the club. Horford offers the Celtics a steady and reliable hand inside, but its recovery has been at the expense of the team’s starting guard.
Walker struggled to find his rhythm last season but still managed to give Boston 19.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. He also indirectly enabled Jayson Tatum to flourish and dispel any lingering doubts as to whether he had the talent to be an alpha scorer and lead actor for a winning club.
While the Celtics agreed to swap Tristan Thompson in a three-team deal with Sacramento and Atlanta that brought Kris Dunn to Boston, neither Dunn nor Marcus Smart were to be the main playmakers for Ime Udoka’s offense.
Ball would give Boston a dependable perimeter defender who would, in theory at least, help the team improve on their mediocre defense (which allowed 110.0 points per 100 possessions and ranked 15th in the NBA). Again, in theory, with Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams among those who would share the floor with Ball, Boston would have two defensive positives on the wing and one on the inside. A five-man unit, including Smart and Tatum, would help the club compete against all newcomers from the east.
Accordingly The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Boston is among those teams that may be interested in acquiring ball this off-season. The problem for the Celtics, however, is that it is unclear how they would find a way to compensate Ball near the $ 20 million he is expected to receive in the open market. With an expected salary cap of $ 112 million, Boston has already pledged around $ 94 million for Tatum, Brown, Horford and Smart. The Celtics would have to take some steps to make room as the pelicans would suit any mediocre offer.
With the Walker Trade, the ball is there, even if the path is much less clear.
NEW YORK KNICKS
After a surprising season in which Julius Randle received the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award and head coach Tom Thibodeau was named NBA Coach of the Year, Leon Rose, president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks, is upgraded to point guard for the club.
Elfrid Payton started all 63 of his appearances as the team’s point guard, but by the time the Knicks season ended in a series of five games against the Atlanta Hawks, Payton had logged a total of just 13 minutes after the season, including three consecutive DNP CDs in the Play 3-5 of this series.
It seems clear that New York is planning on moving on, and whether or not Derrick Rose is signed at 33, it would be inadvisable to rely on Rose to be an everyday starter.
It seems like for as long as we can remember the Knicks have been desperately looking for a young, reliable, and best option in point guard and Ball finally offers that opportunity. In terms of Randle and RJ Barrett, the Knicks have two gifted offensive players who struggled to get a highly efficient offensive in the postseason. In short, what they need is a ground general who can relieve Randle and Barrett of important playmaking duties while being efficient enough to scorer in spots as well.
Ball is, last but not least, steadfast, and he appears to have the laid-back temperament necessary to thrive in the bright New York City light. Armed with the ability to raise more than $ 50 million in Cap Space this off-season and in dire need of many of the things Ball would offer, the Knicks seem like a prime candidate to try out the young Poach Angeleno from New Orleans.
CHICAGO BULLS
Despite Zach LaVine’s 27.4 points per game and the team that netted Nikola Vucevic on a deadline day deal, the Bulls end last season was a huge disappointment. Between LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, who missed 14 and 21 games respectively, it was difficult for Chicago to find a rhythm and build the chemistry, especially after a deadline when the club also saw Daniel Theis and Troy Brown Jr.
Speaking of the close of trading, let’s not forget that Chicago was one of the teams supposedly interested in trading for Ball. Although Coby White emerges from an individually productive second season, Chicago is rather thin on the point guard spot.
To clear the cap space necessary to make a run at Ball, the Bulls’ front office would have to walk away from several of its pieces, including Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky – both of whom have partial guarantees for the next season. You would also not be able to tell Theis (who is? be linked to the Houston Rockets).
In the middle is the status of Markkanen. On Friday night, Chicago made the young tall man a qualifying offer of $ 9 million, officially making him a restricted free agent. The problem for Chicago, however, is that the team cannot re-allocate those dollars until its vacancy is resolved. The Bulls could withdraw their offer of qualification, but that would undoubtedly cost them Markkanen (whom they made number 7 overall in 2017).
From a basketball standpoint, ball could be part of the solution for Chicago. He could make the game easier for both LaVine and Vucevic, but he would take minutes and chances from White and also cost a number of rotation players from last season. It’s a dubious proposition for General Manager Marc Eversley, but considering that Chicago tried to act against Ball before last season’s deadline and the fact that he is a good fit with the team’s all-star duo would, they are certainly a worth seeing admirer.
Interestingly, Ball is also reportedly keeping an eye on Chicago.
“The Bulls are believed to have a shared interest with Lonzo Ball in a four-year deal valued at over $ 80 million,” reported Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report. In a podcast interview with our Alex Kennedy, Fischer predicted that Ball will “get a big bid sheet from Chicago”.
DALLAS-MAVERICKS
Perhaps a dark contender for ball, the Mavericks narrowly beat the Miami Heat to make our list. In order for Miami to free the necessary space for Ball to sign, the Heat would have to leave at least some rotating figures like Victor Oladipo, Andre Iguodala, Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson – the latter two – to be leaving the restricted free agents.
It’s hard to imagine Miami effectively rolling back its entire rotation a year after winning the Eastern Conference.
Dallas on the other hand? That is a sensible goal.
The Mavericks have a basketball talent of the generation in Luka Doncic, and his rookie contract will make him close to $ 10 million in the 2021/22 season. That gives Dallas a window this off-season to create as much headroom as possible to sign an Impact player before granting maximum overtime for Doncic kicks next season.
Point guard was targeted as a need area for the team, and with Fridays reported trade who will send Josh Richardson and his $ 11 million salary to Boston, the Mavericks have enough room to offer a maximum contract. Accordingly John Hollinger from The Athletic, the team may have made the move with veteran point guard Kyle Lowry in mind.
Hollinger too mentioned that Dallas is “the team to watch” in the Mike Conely Sweepstakes, indicating that the Mavs have been aggressively pursuing him in the past. “I would definitely keep an eye on Dallas,” he added.
Lowry or Conley would offer more offensive production, leadership, and experience, but both players will be hot commodities. If Dallas is unable to acquire one of these all-star options, Ball would give the team a reliable distributor who spell Doncic as the team’s main on-ball playmaker and the open shots that create the Slovenian phenomenon would, could effectively knock down.
Dallas obviously wants to cause a sensation this off-season; Don’t be surprised if it lands on Ball.
PELICANS OF NEW ORLEANS
With Willie Green taking the helm in New Orleans, Ball will play for his fourth head coach in four years no matter where he signs. The instability is sure to have a nagging effect, especially for a young player who has had to adjust to the different expectations and systems of different head coaches.
However, as Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram each develop into superstars, New Orleans will need a point guard with fairly specific skills. You are going to need someone who can excel outside of the ball as Ingram has proven himself with this. At the same time, the point guard in New Orleans must be capable of catch-and-shoot situations.
In short, the ball fits the shape. And after swapping Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe to Memphis, the Pelicans have the flexibility to add more than $ 35 million in Cap-Space. Obviously, some of these funds could be for Ball, who is expected to earn a high salary in the restricted free agent market.
Because of the above trade, New Orleans Ball could effectively replace Ball with another point guard in the free agent market if it thinks a bid sheet is too rich.
Either way, as one of the prices of the Davis trade and as a point guard who seems to be an ideal match for Williamson and Ingram, the reigning Pelicans make a lot of sense as a potential travel destination.
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The NBA Free Agency begins August 2nd, which means we don’t have to speculate on where some of the league’s most iconic free agents will end up.
It’s still fun though, and with regard to Lonzo Ball specifically, it’s easy to see that there are a number of situations that he could excel in in the future.
