With the trade deadline under 48 hours away, Lonzo Ball is finding himself in more and more rumors. The Knicks, Bulls, Hawks and Nuggets have all been linked to Ball through trades with different players proposed.
While it’s out of his control, all those rumors fly in the face of comments made by Ball earlier this season indicating he wanted to stay in New Orleans with teammates and friends Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Marc Berman of the New York Post confirmed as much in a report on Sunday, indicating Ball prefers to remain in New Orleans and fight for a playoff spot.
“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.”
Ball has two big supporters on the Pelicans in Williamson and Ingram, which will carry some weight. Ultimately, it won’t be the deciding factor in whether Ball stays but it’ll certainly have some impact.
Instead, Ball’s impending restricted free agency contract of upwards of $20 million could play a much bigger role in whether he stays in New Orleans.
