As Lonzo Ball‘s name continues to surface in Anthony Davis-related trade rumors, Ball’s camp maintains that New Orleans wouldn’t be a desirable destination for the point guard, per Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Ball’s camp has reportedly expressed a desire to end up on a team with a more glaring hole at point guard if he’s traded, and two sources tell Ganguli that there’s mutual interest between Ball and the Suns.
According to Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times, Ball and his representatives recognize that they don’t have any power to control his destination in a trade, but they’d like the Lakers to re-route him to a third team such as the Bulls, Knicks, or Suns if he’s included in a Davis package. It’s not clear if the Knicks would still a preferred destination after today’s trade agreement involving Dennis Smith Jr.
In any case, the Pelicans, apparently undeterred by Ball’s disinterest, continue to view him as a key piece in any deal with the Lakers for Davis, Turner writes. As we relayed earlier today, the Lakers sent New Orleans some potential trade scenarios for Davis, and one of those scenarios – according to Turner – included Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, and a future first-round pick. Pelicans GM Dell Demps hasn’t gotten back to the Lakers yet about any of their hypothetical offers, says Turner.
As Turner writes, Ball has concerns about a potentially crowded backcourt in New Orleans and would rather end up with a team without an answer at point guard. The Suns, who have been on the lookout for a long-term point guard since at least the summer of 2018, certainly fit that bill. According to Turner, the Pelicans believe they fall into that group as well.
“Lonzo is going to be able to do whatever he wants to [in New Orleans],” Turner’s source said. “I think he thinks that Jrue [Holiday] is the starting point guard, but Jrue doesn’t want to be a point guard. Lonzo would be the starting point guard and he would play 35 minutes every night. There’s no way that he wouldn’t. If he wins in New Orleans, he’ll be as big of a star as he can be anywhere.”
Ball wishes to go to a team with a “glaring hole at the point” yet states NY is a destination – whom have an array of point guards…..
#BigBallerBaby
He can forget about New York after Dennis Smith’s arrival. He’s probably gonna focus on getting with the Suns in a potential AD deal.
His excuses for not wanting to go to New Orleans don’t ring true. AD is 10 times the player that Ball is but playing on the Lakers has gotten Ball more media coverage than AD has ever get in New Orleans, so if Ball goes there he knows he will be forgotten quick and that isn’t good for business.
Would you say this applies to the Suns as well? Suns haven’t been relevant in some years. But they do have some pieces there that would compliment Lonzo’s game, aside from the marketing side of things…
I’d say the point is moot.
Everyone knows Ball is trying to make himself look unattractive with this so he stays with Lakers.
The Suns could send Bender and Jackson to the Pelicans for Ball. Kuzma, Ingram, Zubac and Jackson would be a pretty good return for Davis and they get to look at Bender to see if they want to give him a QO or just let him walk.
One definite bust and one possible bust wouldn’t be nearly enough to get Ball. Bender probably has less than zero value.
People don’t realize that Ball has been awesome this year.
They fringe-pay attention and assume he’s a bust because he’s not a scorer.
He wants to play for the lakers. Why would the suns rip apart their franchise for a guy who would go there for a year, give about a 75% effort & then sign with the lakers.
Bender’s 4th year wasn’t picked up, so he’s an UFA. Holding his contract restricts what you can offer.
No one cares about you in AZ. You aren’t impacting tee times bruh.
I think ball has more value than Jackson
AZ does have warm weather!
So warm that you can a picnic on rock beds in the summer
So why would NO even be interested in Ball, Kuzma, Ingram and Zubac when the Lakers are barely a .500 team WITH them, to get the Lakers 1st round pick??? Come on, that’s not that good of a package. Heck, the Suns could offer more than that… I would consider sending Ayton, Jackson and 1st for AD. Ayton may become great one day, but AD is now and has many years of success ahead of him.
He wouldn’t resign in az so it’d be a 1 year rental so not happening. Pelicans are a below .500 team with ad as well so its not like they would regress too much and would add a pick in the future
No package they get is going to make them a better than .500 team right away
If Solomon Hill is involved NO could get a max player… Boogie comes to mind.
Too many other teams will be in on max players. They’re best hope is adding as many young players as they can. Tanking this year and hoping for a great rookie
They would be looking mainly at Center.
They shouldn’t be. Demps is an idiot. He’s just working off of what the Lakers have, like an amateur that he is. But the Knicks’ three stooges are now the deadline news, so Demps can do his stupid deal with the Lakers which will leave him with only a few bad contracts in a couple of years and nobody will say boo.
Thats a crap load for AD dude. A player that is 1.5 years from free agency who will not re-sign
Anthony Davis PER = 31 (best in league)
Kuzma 14.9 comp Rudy Gay
Ingram 12.8 comp Andre Iguodala
Ball 12.0 comp Rondo
Wagner 11.6 bench player
Hart 10.0 bench player
Those comps had 5 All Star appearances combined. Davis has 5 by himself.
Lakers won’t have high enough draft picks to include so it will cost them more in talent.
Why are the Knicks mention they just traded for dsj I doubt ball want to go there now. If not No. He be better off with the bulls or sun’s.
The Ball report came out before the Porzingis trade leaked
Maybe NO would like DSJ better than Ball? Perhaps with a sweetener from NY.
As long as the Knicks don’t end up with either one.
Is DSJ really a point guard? And with Lonzo’s size, the two could probably play in the same backcourt. I wouldn’t rule out the Knicks completely
Has there ever been a back court where the combined FT % of both players was under 100% – ?
Lol that one made me laugh
Send him to the worst team in the league. He & his “team” (his dad) suck
Stop hating. His dad has been quiet for the most part. And his dad’s big mouth got his son son drafted second overall to the Lakers. Wish my dad did that for me
Ha….he was drafted 2 IN SPITE of his dad!
Only because Magic threatened to trade the kid if the Dad didn’t get real quiet. With his trade (somewhere) likely, we’re hearing about his “camp” – his Dad with another moniker.
Quiet? Who do you think is “leaking” all this noise?
Who cares where ball would or wouldn’t want to play. He has no choice in the matter and should be thankful he is making the money he is making.
Who cares what Ball says. His “camp” has no leverage. It would be interesting to see that trade. Starting line up in NO….Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, Zu and Randall. Lakers II ! I’d follow them. I think that would be fun. We get AD here with LBJ, still room for one more max contract next year (Klay or Kyrie?) and 3-4 years from now we will see what we gave up in NO Lakers II.
What you guys are forgetting this is all up to Demps to decide along with his good friend Gregg Popovich. Just because Magic made his best offer means he will take it. I did find Z-A, imindless, and others comical.
Make that doesn’t mean Demps will take Magic’s offer. We’ll see. NBA GM’s do despise the Lakers.
This trade has been slowly happening for 8 months. Randle, then rondo switch via free agency and these are all the players to be named later haha
Kuz and Hart have to stay for the Lakers to have a real shot at anything this season if they get AD. Losing all 4 of those guys makes the Lakers really thin. Kuz has proven he can actually play with LeBron.
I agree 100
I was asking which Jrue preferred, PG or 2G, and “anonymous source” finally answered. And so Ball not Hart was offered as I did predict long ago, just because Jrue had worked so well with Rondo.
I assume Demps will pay attention to Jrue’s perspective (& LR contract) through all this but there is so much rubbish going on and Demps has an agenda.
I bet Ball’s preference for Phoenix is just a westerner’s typical preference for western living. He (or his dad) does not need to be as attended as JHoliday.
It was scary watching anyone other than Jrue handle the ball at the end of the game vs Houston.
It’s like he’s a PG who wants another PG on the floor with him. Which makes him a 2G. Well Rondo figured it out, but they let him go.
Someone explain to me how this is not tampering? If this had to do with the Lakers interested in a talent everybody would be screaming tampering just like when there were reports they were interested in trading for Anthony Davis before he requested a trade everyone was screaming tampering.
You do understand the barely 500 Lakers have a better record than the below 500 Pelicans and that’s with Lebron missing over 2 weeks and Davis missing time as well. Also the barely 500 Lakers beat the Pels with a health Davis 112 to 104 in December. I’d also be willing to bet they would certainly trade the Lakers spot in the standings at the moment. Not that it’s a huge improvement.
This is a fools move. I pray Magic is seeing the light. If I am AD why would I want to Lakers to gut their team and mortgage their future for what may be the 5th seed in the west at best? Then on top of that LBJ is aging. The Lakers have a luxury most teams do not. Cap space and a good young nucleus. Not great but good. Give the core a chance to play with Lebron healthy. If AD wants to be a Laker he will be. It’s his choice when he resigns or opts elsewhere In FA.