NBA Rumors: LA Clippers Should Trade For Pelicans PG Lonzo Ball
When the New Orleans Pelicans acquired him in the blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, most people viewed Lonzo Ball as part of the teams’ long-term plan. However, with the Pelicans’ recent acquisitions of Eric Bledsoe and Kira Lewis Jr., Ball is currently facing an uncertain future in New Orleans. As of now, the Pelicans are yet to make Ball officially available on the trading block, but if they decide to move him this offseason several teams that are in dire need of a backcourt boost are expected to express strong interest in acquiring the former No. 2 overall pick, including the Los Angeles Clippers.
In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network included Ball on the list of players that the Clippers should target on the trade market. He may not be on the same level as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, but Siegel believes that pairing him with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in Los Angeles would make the Clippers a “dangerous team” in the 2020-21 NBA season.
“Bringing Lonzo Ball back to Los Angeles could prove to be very beneficial for the Clippers for a couple of reasons. Not only is Ball a ‘do-it-all’ type of guard, as he can score, rebound and pass, but he would not have an immense amount of pressure put on him. The Clippers would allow Lonzo to be Lonzo in the sense that they would not be asking him to score. He would likely take on the role of being a facilitator for both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, making the Clippers a dangerous team in transition.”
Trading for Ball would undeniably make a lot of sense for the Clippers. Since they got upset by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals, rumors are circulating that Leonard was urging the Clippers to add a starting-caliber point guard on their roster. They may have Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams on their roster, but none of those veterans are traditional point guards.
Being a pass-first point guard, Ball would be an intriguing fit alongside ball-dominant superstars like Leonard and George. He’s not only a great playmaker, but he has also built a good reputation in defending the perimeter and shown a massive improvement with his three-point shooting. Last season, he averaged 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
As of now, it remains unknown if there’s an ongoing negotiation between the Clippers and the Pelicans, but Ball would definitely love the idea of returning to Los Angeles. Unlike in New Orleans, being traded back to Los Angeles would not only give him a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup, but it could also give him a realistic chance of winning his first championship ring next year.
