Ever since he couldn’t agree to a contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, Lonzo Ball has been at the center of multiple trade rumors.
The Pelicans have reportedly made him a priority but don’t want to overpay for him. That means that they’re likely to hold on to him past the trade deadline unless they get an offer they can’t reject. Thus far, it’s known that the Atlanta Hawks offered a package centered around Cam Reddish, while the Chicago Bulls offered Tomas Satoranksy and multiple second-round picks.
New Orleans would only part ways with Ball if another team were to offer a lottery pick right now, according to multiple reports, which makes his trade to the New York Knicks highly unlikely at the time.
A couple of days ago, LaVar Ball urged the Pelicans to trade away his son right now because he doesn’t like the way they’re using him. However, a recent report claims that Lonzo is happy at New Orleans right now:
“Despite LaVar’s bold remarks on Los Angeles radio, The Post has learned Lonzo doesn’t feel the same way about being dealt Thursday. The Pelicans have had a disappointing season — 18-24, in 11th place in the West. However, Ball’s preference is to fight for a playoff berth with New Orleans and put his focus on his first free agency, one NBA source said,” The New York Post reported.
The Knicks aren’t likely to make a big haul for any player this season as they’re currently in the playoff picture. If anything, they could heavily pursue Lonzo in free agency when he becomes a restricted free agent.
The Pelicans have been quite inconsistent this season but are still on the verge of competing and they need Lonzo’s three-point shooting, defense, and playmaking to do so. The Knicks, on the other hand, are fine with just playing the waiting game.
