Lonzo Ball has told the Pelicans’ front office that he wants to remain with the team, head of basketball operations David Griffin said after the trade deadline (Twitter link via Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Times-Picayune). Ball’s name was bandied about in trade rumors but New Orleans didn’t find a proposal to its liking before the deadline. The team will have to extend a $14.36MM qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent this summer.
We have more news from the Southwest Division:
- The Pelicans still haven’t proven they’re true contenders, Kushner writes. The Pelicans, who are five games below .500, didn’t make a major move before the trade deadline. But they have shown little progress during the season despite the changes that were made this offseason and new coach Stan Van Gundy hasn’t been able to fix their defensive issues.
- Avery Bradley could make his Rockets debut on Monday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Bradley, who was acquired in the Victor Oladipo trade with Miami, has been dealing with a calf injury. He has only appeared in 10 games this season due to a variety of ailments.
- J.J. Redick still isn’t ready to make his Mavericks debut, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Dallas acquired the veteran perimeter shooter from New Orleans on Thursday. Redick is still rehabbing from a nonsurgical procedure on his right heel that has sidelined him since the All-Star break.
The Pelicans haven’t” proven they’re true contenders”? Contenders for what? The 11th seed?
For greatest team name in the history of sports. I don’t see them contending for that distinction any time soon…
People in glass houses, chief number two hands
Hey…my handle is accurate, damnit! Well…the “Chief” part is just honorary…but the majority of the voices in my head agree that honor was long overdue.
Lol
true contenders…for the play-in tournament is what i think he meant
Yeah really ….. contending for a lottery pick.
Ball has been overpaid since being #2 pick. I wait till next year to resign him. 14 mill is more than enough to get a real look. I doubt very much anyone is offering more.
9th & 10th seeds have a chance to play in this season. They’re currently 1 game out.
Overpaying Ball is not the best move for the franchise. Should they match? Probably yes. And then use him in an eventual trade for Bradley Beal. May need to be a 3 team. But the only move out there that catapults this team into contending is a move for Beal.
Trade your 2nds to get another 1st from an over the cap team. Package the LAL 2022, the first you trade for, 2021 1st, Ball, Hayes, and Walker/Lewis.
Don’t bank on free agency and dudes wanting to play w Zion. Go get a guy that can score 50.
Was JJ really the solution. Mavs need to someone to keep Luka long term or he’s coming to NY :)
hold on let me construct a marty mc trade so we dont have to wait
kevin knox
2028 2nd rounder
alec burks
mitchell robinson
for:
luka doncic
maxi kleiber
You can’t be serious. Cuban would laugh quickly before hanging up.
i agree w/ the sentiment altho not sure a ball-centered package gets beal unless ingram is in it
zion looks like the real deal. no doubt they got a haul for jrue but now having to carry the deadweight of bledsoe and adams hurts more.
If you want Beal you’d have to give up Ingram
Of course they would. It’s so absurd seeing some of these trades that people think will get their team Bradley Beal. They would likely need to give up both Ingram and Ball to have any real chance.
Bradley wasn’t very good in his debut, but Olynyk has been outstanding so far.
You should resign Olynyk he’s a good backup and can play with Wood. He can’t be asking too much. Tate looks good.
Knicks didn’t shoot well tonight. Their offense still has issues .
The way he is playing so far it looks like a no-brainer that the Rockets will re-sign him. He might even end up starting at PF since both he and Wood can shoot threes. This is the first time in years that Houston has two legitimate centers in their rotation.
They should have his bird rights and should have no trouble signing for less than the $12.5M/year he’s making right now.
I would offer 13, call him a starter, and hope he stays in a positive frame. Save $ on DJ Wilson
Bradley hasn’t been very good in a long time.