The big question looming over the Pelicans this offseason is whether restricted free agent Lonzo Ball will remain with the franchise. Ball told Andrew Lopez of ESPN and other media members on Monday he’d like to stay.
“That’s a conversation between me and my agent moving forward. But obviously I would love to be back,” Ball said. “I built a bond here with the coaches and the teammates who are here. I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back at all.”
Franchise player Zion Williamson is also hoping that Ball will remain. The front office will have to extend a $14.36MM qualifying offer to prevent Ball from becoming an unrestricted free agent, then would have the ability to match any offer sheet he signs.
“I really would want ‘Zo to come back,” Williamson said. “He knows that. But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is ‘Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. The only thing I can say is I hope he stays.”
We have more on the Pelicans:
- Brandon Ingram is another fan of Ball’s, calling him a “generational” talent due to his passing ability, Lopez tweets. Ingram is also hopeful that another one of the Pelicans’ RFAs, Josh Hart ($5.23MM qualifying offer), will stay put.
- The injury big man Jaxson Hayes suffered in the season finale on Sunday was a muscle contusion, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. Hayes confirms the injury is a short-term issue, Lopez tweets. “There’s a little bit of swelling and I can’t bend it too well,” Hayes said. “But it’s just a contusion. I’ll be fine in a week or so.”
- Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin said he purposely kept the team under the luxury tax, though there was no mandate from ownership. He said his bosses are willing to pay the tax in the future once it becomes a serious title contender, Lopez relays in a string of tweets. “It was something where we didn’t want to start our clock,” Griffin said. “I think this organization and ownership team has been very clear with us that when we have a chance to put the pedal to the medal and build a championship team… I believe there is a willingness to do that. But it’s about picking your spots.”
- Finding the right combination of players around Williamson is the ultimate front office goal for the franchise, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) writes. Marks takes a deep dive into the Pelicans’ offseason decisions, their cap situation, and the draft. New Orleans owns not only a lottery pick but four second-rounders.
@dana are you sure this reporting is correct? I see no mention of Stan Van Gundy being thrown onto the street and as far away from the org as possible. That must be in their plans, no?
Priority 1: get rid of Bledsoe. No matter what is takes.
Priority 2: SVG needs to go, he was an abysmal failure in terms of leadership, strategy, and management. The Joe Biden of coaches. Give someone new an opportunity. The fact Bledsoe played more minutes than anyone is appalling.
Priority 3: sign and play Josh Hart. His energy and intelligence are critical to team building. That’s a winning player, the anti-Bledsoe. Hart needs to play more!
Priority 4: sign Lonzo Ball, continuity is something new to the Pelicans- but clearly important.
Agree w/ 2 + 3. 1 will be tough unless they want to part with a 1st.
4 is the most interesting. I dont see any team bidding all that high for Zo outright. But maybe a team falls in with him as a sign & trade.
Praise God somebody else sees that SVG is a joke. Mark Jackson would be a perfectl fit he got the GSW rolling and he had mellowed and learned.
Miss playoffs next 3 years
Pelicans are likely to miss playoffs if resigned Ball and Hart
There is no salary cap
There is no first round picks from other teams
Lakers picks are protected
I am only talking next 3 years
Good news for NO is Zion proved this year he’s the real deal.
Bad news is everything else. SVG was … not good. Bledsoe and Adams make no sense at all w/ ZW. And Ingram is questionable as a #2 guy.
They’ll be paying Bled/Adams $35m combined over each of the next two seasons, and both looked cooked this season.
Ball & Hart are good fits but beyond that the roster needs an overhaul.
I’d look for Ingram to be moved in the next 12 months just because this team as is stinks and they have nothing else of real value to trade other than Zion.
They had a true franchise player with Anthony Davis.
Zion still has a ways to go before he’s even close to being another AD.
Zion is better now at age 20 than AD was or will ever be in his career.
Pelicans struggles are mind boggling. They have 2 all stars and other solid pieces. Massive underachievers.
SVG is certainly a finalist for the Fizdale trophy. But it’s Griffin that needs to own this roster. He was gifted a lot of capital coming in, and he’s made more trades than roster spots in less than two years. The worst fitting pieces were the latest to be acquired. He should also understand that when ownership indicated they’d pay the luxury tax when the team is a serious contender, that was a mandate to stay under the line this year.
My Sources tell ME Lonzo is bringing His game to the Big Apple.
Sneakers He helped style are in boxes ready to be shipped out.
And from what I AM also hearing, a rap song is also in the works.
He has heard comments made by Magic “Showtime”, Man, about best fit for Him would be in NY.