The Pelicans are unlikely to match a significant offer sheet for Lonzo Ball in restricted free agency this summer, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Charania doesn’t clarify what would constitute a “significant” offer, but Ball’s market could be in the range of the four-year, $85MM deals signed by point guards Malcolm Brogdon and Fred VanVleet in recent years. Ball would be doing well to land a contract that matches or exceeds those deals.
The 23-year-old, who began his career with the Lakers, had perhaps his best NBA season in 2020/21, establishing new career highs in PPG (14.6), FG% (.414), and 3PT% (.378). He also chipped in 5.7 APG and 4.8 RPG in 55 games (31.8 MPG).
Star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have both spoken in favor of the Pelicans re-signing Ball, and the team will have the ability to match any offer sheet extended by a rival suitor. But it’s unclear just how committed New Orleans is to the former No. 2 overall pick, especially given the club’s cap situation.
Substantial investments in Ball and fellow restricted free agent Josh Hart would likely push the Pelicans into tax territory unless the club cuts costs by trading away a contract like Steven Adams‘ or Eric Bledsoe‘s. The team has never paid the luxury tax before. And while that doesn’t necessarily mean ownership wouldn’t sign off on a tax bill going forward, it would be a tough sell for a roster that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018.
The Bulls and Clippers are among the teams expected to express interest in Ball, sources tell Charania. The Knicks have also been mentioned as a possible suitor, though Ian Begley of SNY.tv has reported there are mixed opinions on the point guard among New York’s decision-makers.
This has been clear for awhile. To anyone paying attention anyway. And, NO, it isn’t about $$ primarily. Any team that has two controllable under 25 studs, one a power player and one a wing, and also has a chance to lock up a 23 year old stud PG to complete a big 3 for the next decade, DOES IT. Period. Or they should close up shop. 100’s of ways to avoid the tax.
Yet, its been clear for awhile that the Pels don’t want that result. They didn’t offer him any extension. Figure it out. The Pels don’t believe that Lonzo is even a 3rd star on a good team. Neither did the Lakers. Maybe other teams should listen, as those two teams are the ones that know him best.
Lonzo is a nice player… but he’s not a stud. He’s really just a roster filler that won’t kill you but also won’t put you over the top. There’s a reason the Pels aren’t going to go all out to sign him and that’s because he is very replaceable.
Stop. “He’s really just roster filler?”
That’s just absurd. He’s 23 and he’s a 15/6/5 type guy who’s help D have vastly improved. A 6’6 PG with excellent court vision.
He’s more than “roster filler.” He’s still developing, but he’s capable of being the PG on a contender of the type of guy who can pair with someone like Bradley Beal in the backcourt to get the ball moving.
He’s not a superstar, may not develop into an AS like his brother probably will, but…no, not just some roster fill.
And saying two teams gave up on him is just intellectually dishonest. The Lakers traded him so they could get AD. They didn’t “give up on him.”
People love to speak in hyperbole and just go so far over the top with their comments.
They don’t believe it because he isn’t. 14ppg at 42% inside of 3 and only 6 assists in his BEST season today doesn’t scream stud at all. I damn sure wouldn’t pay him 4yrs and 85M
I’d absolutely match $85 million contract, then trade him later
You don’t lose assets for nothing unless you are Kings or Rockets
Exactly. You keep him so you at least have the salary to improve your team as you’ve over the Cap.
They’d definitely be able to trade him+some of those assists for an upgrade in the near future.
Remember when the Bucks let Brogdon go for 4/80…and since they’ve tried to find a player to replace him without having a contract to get that done?
They should at LEAST get a 1st in return since he’s a RFA(as the Bucks did with Brogdon). At the VERY least.
Pretty bold, to say there’s not a number… and that you would go to max on principle, that being if two, then make it three.
There are other FAs I would prefer that would be less… Nunn, Caruso, Dinwiddie… and a couple more in trade. I assume Ball gets offered over $20m/yr.
But as you say, Pels know him better.
Maybe this is the Sixers’ answer!
They get Ball in a sign and trade and the Birds get Simmons
I have a feeling many of these border line players will not get the big contract they want since revenue was down for the last 2 years. More likely signing 2 year deals not 4 year deals. Ball is a good player but not a all star just like almost every free agent out there.
They shouldn’t but NBA owners are the worst at spending money with responsibility of all sports. They max out mediocre players regularly just to avoid losing them, when locking up cap space hampers them for 4-5 years
Many of the GMs give out expensive contracts to player with a little talent. Almost every team has a bad contract.
Exactly. Look at these board. Some Guy wants to pay dinwiddie $20M a year
I support GMs to overpay players for playoffs teams, then trade them later
If you are Kings or Wolves, you don’t overpay role players.
If they don’t then they need a new GM. Not against letting Ball go but if you knew that you weren’t gonna pay him then you should have traded him. With Zion already looking for ways out, this cannot help
It seems like prudent thinking to me.
If they can resign him at a reasonable rate, great. If someone wants to overpay him, let him go.
Also, the GM might have tried to trade him at the deadline but got no decent offers.
Maybe a bad offer is better than Zo walkin’ out for nothin’, the Pels haven’t got a way to replace him… & that will upset the already unhappy Zion… well seems that the GM got his trinity of stupidity just right!
Very prudent, right?
I don’t think Lonzo will ever live up the hype but he’s a solid player. He can knock down 3s at an above average rate, defends with tenacity and is a great passer in transition.
At the end of the season Zion took on more of a distributor role and it looks as if he’s got a lot of potential in that area. A 6’7″ 285 lb point guard that runs and jumps like a gazelle would be very hard to stop. If Zion continues to show promise and maybe develops a somewhat respectable jumper Lonzo is exactly what they need in the backcourt. In fact they could use 2 of him.
If the Knicks make a move and land him that’s exactly what he’ll do in New York. Play off Randle on offense and take on the tougher perimeter assignment on D.
What you get from ball is pretty much what you got from in college. He not going to be a 20+ scorer. But get about 15,7,5
Zion and Ingram will do the majority of the scoring no matter what the Pelicans do with Ball. So 15,7,5 is fine as long as Ball continues to play great D, knock down a few 3s and give Zion an occasional break on playmaking duties that would be fine. If someone is willing to overpay Ball let him walk but I don’t think 12-16 million would be too much. Let Hart walk to save money he doesn’t play D and regressed in shooting.
I doubt the Pels will have the luxury of agreeing to 12-16. There are good PGs in that range.
The Pels should build around Zion, giving him free reign at the point. Hate to say but given everyone’s different personalities, it would be hard for Zion to push all of Lonzo, Bledsoe, NAW & #13 pick aside. They’re stuck with Bledsoe, good defensively but not a priority, and can be ordered off the ball to get full dollars next year.
Open the lane up for Jaxson Hayes & drivers.
There is only one more year of Bledsoe… see what Zion & BI does. Maybe this should have happened a year ago, but I disagree, because ZW, BI & Lonzo should have had the year for checking out the combo, and they did, and in Lonzo’s contract year. You can’t blame everything on SVG.