Lonzo Ball and LeBron James.
Lonzo Ball trade discussions have been a topic in NBA circles for the last couple of weeks.
Lonzo Ball in a uniform other than New Orleans Pelicans?
Hearing there could be some legitimate trade INTEREST in Ball this summer.
Imagine a world where he’d be effective in a Suns, Knicks, Kings, Mavericks or Raptors uniform.
I recently shared that the New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors do have interest.
“I don’t know if I see him staying in New Orleans,” ESPN’s Jay Williams told me on the Heavy With Scoop B Show.
“If Lonzo ends up in New York, I actually might like that.”
Ball was shipped from the Los Angeles Lakers to the New Orleans Pelicans last June along with Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart in a trade that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.
Davis has done quite well for himself since the trade. The Lakers are favorite to win the NBA Finals this season and The Brow is a huge reason why. The former Kentucky Wildcat scored 43 points last night in the Lakers’ Game 5 NBA Playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“I think Lonzo Ball could be a really good NBA player and I think we need to re-set expectations for Lonzo,” Jay Williams tells Heavy With Scoop B.
“It’s okay; you don’t have to average a LeBron James triple double. Just average a triple double. It’s still going to get you paid a lot of money and you can still be part of a winning organization and you can still be part of a championship team. I ultimately do like the attributes he does bring to the table, I just think we need to stop talking about Lonzo like he’s going to be Devin Booker. We need to re-set expectations for him. That’s okay!”
Lonzo Ball averaged a smidge under 12 points per game this season. The UCLA product also rounded out the stats sheet with six rebounds and seven assists per contest this season for a Pelicans team that finished the 2019-2020 campaign with a 30-42 record and a 13th place finish in the NBA’s Western Conference.
Since the Pelicans’ season ended, New Orleans fired head coach, Alvin Gentry and now they’re looking for their next coach. Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach, Ty Lue is considered a coaching favorite in New Orleans. Lue won a Championship ring as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. It is believed that Lue will be seeking $7 Million per year.
Current Pelicans associate head coach Chris Finch is believed to get an interview for the coaching job. Additionally, Brooklyn Nets interim head coach Jacque Vaughn is believed to be on the Pelicans’ list of names should he be fired by the Nets. Vaughn’s Nets head coach predecessor, Kenny Atkinson is also believed to be on the Pelicans’ coaching wish-list, as well.