Coming into the season, the New Orleans Pelicans were seen as a darkhorse candidate for the playoffs in the Western Conference. Despite the bottom dropping out of the conference, the Pelicans have fallen even further this season. Now, instead of playoff seeds, New Orleans is once again looking at lottery odds.
Among those who have suffered most during the first half of the season is Lonzo Ball. A recent move to the bench was a long time coming. While some expected Ball and Jrue Holiday to excel in the backcourt, their massive struggles have been a microcosm of the season as a whole.
From the moment he was dealt to the Pelicans, there were questions about Ball’s fit with the team. The gluttony of young guards on the Pelicans’ roster paired with Holiday as the team leader means someone is likely expendable. As the season worsens, David Griffin will likely listen to trades for any player not named Zion Williamson.
Is Ball the odd man out? Logic would suggest it is more likely the team deals the older Holiday first. But every player will have a price. Here are five trades where the price might be right for Ball.
Knicks get: Lonzo Ball
Pelicans get: Kevin Knox, 2022 Mavericks 1st
The Pelicans would be wise to look at teams that have a dearth of wing players and forwards to solve some of their issues. The Knicks forgot what guards were this off-season and the handful they have been disappointing at best.
Kevin Knox, meanwhile, has already received a DNP-CD this season and has had an underwhelming sophomore campaign. Depending on their thoughts of his long-term projections, the Knicks would be wise to sell now on Knox before his value gets any lower.
Attaching a first with him, one of many extras they have, could land them their point guard of the future. It could also set up a potential Ball-Ball backcourt with LaMelo Ball projected to be a top pick in the NBA Draft and the Knicks projected to be one of the teams in the race for the top pick. That would create the most interest and excitement for the Knicks in a half-decade.
As for Knox, he would help free up the backcourt and provide another wing option for a side that has played JJ Redick at the small forward at times this season. It’d come at a low cost with the first round pick attached as well.
Bucks get: Lonzo Ball
Pelicans get: Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson, 2020 Pacers 1st
Ball’s skillset lends itself to having more of an impact on good teams versus a rebuilding one. The Milwaukee Bucks are arguably the best team in the league. Whether they have interest in shaking up the roster, though, remains to be seen.
If they do have interest in consolidating some of their assets into one, Ball could be had. Both Donte DiVincenzo and D.J. Wilson are projected as prospects a tier below Ball, which explains the need for the Pacers’ first round draft pick acquired in the Malcolm Brogdon sign-and-trade.
Ball would still be coming off the bench but at a much higher level. Matching the Bucks’ system of pace and space with three-point shooting fits like a glove into Ball’s playstyle both overall and this season. Last season, spot-ups comprised 21.3 percent of Ball’s offense, per Synergy. This season, that number is up to 28.4 percent.
Wilson would provide the Pelicans with a floor-spacing big man with some more upside and while DiVincenzo doesn’t help the backcourt logjam, he is more of a tradition shooting guard rather than a point guard, which still helps.
Nuggets get: Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick
Pelicans get: Malik Beasley, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee, 2022 Nuggets 1st
This is the most ambitious trade of the lot. Whether it’s Denver or not, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him moved before the trade deadline.
But it also wouldn’t be surprising for Denver, a contender with assets to spare, to make the move for him. In this scenario, though, they could potentially go bigger in order to save money long-term. Malik Beasley is a player due for a big contract extension and the Nuggets have already tied up lots of money long-term.
Instead of extending him, they could look to deal him to a team more willing to pay him. He would be a perfect fit in New Orleans and provide the Pelicans with two superb wing players along with Brandon Ingram, though both would be due for paydays.
But in attaching Redick and Ball together, the Pelicans can also get some more assets out of Denver. Monte Morris is a solid point guard who would provide balance to the team and the first round pick would be a sweetener on top.
Magic get: Lonzo Ball, E’Twaun Moore
Pelicans get: Aaron Gordon
Another team with a host of bigs is Orlando. Years of drafting big men along with signing Nikola Vucevic to an extension means the team has too many bigs and too little playing time.
Not shockingly, they have also had a lack of point guards during that span. While Markelle Fultz may have turned a corner in Florida, the questions still remain. Questions also remain with Aaron Gordon and his fit with the team long-term.
The Magic could go the way in answering some of those questions by bringing in another point guard and shipping out Gordon in the process. Ball and E’Twaun Moore, who operates more as salary filler in this trade than anything else, are about as good of a package as the Magic will get mid-season for Gordon and his large contract, especially if they want to continue contending.
Bulls get: Lonzo Ball
Pelicans get: Tomas Satoransky
The last deal is the only straight-up swap and it’s an out-of-the-box one. Tomas Satoransky was just brought in by Chicago but the Bulls are a mess presently. Their point guard issues are hardly any closer to being solved now than they were in the off-season.
Swapping out Satoransky for a more defensive-minded guard with low usage makes a ton of sense in the backcourt next to Zach Lavine. Where it might not make sense is that it continues to block Coby White. Ball’s ability to play and defend multiple positions makes the fit a bit easier to swallow and could help unlock Chicago a bit more.
For New Orleans, Satoransky provides shooting (37.0 percent from three this season) and playmaking (5.8 assists) and an ability to have another lead guard to stagger more effectively with Holiday.
