It hurts my soul. It hurts every fiber of my being. It dismantles the very core of who I am as a basketball fan. However, I know when it is time for a change, and for Lonzo Ball, that change may be sooner than expected. In his second season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Lonzo Ball may be on the move once again in his young career. Per Brandon “B Scoop” Robinson, he’s heard that there are a few teams interested in Ball’s services. There are a few teams that don’t make much sense for either party, but I can understand why NBA teams would be in need of a point guard with Lonzo’s skill set. He’s 6’6″, he’s got fast hands, he’s quick with the ball, he plays good defense, and he’s a willing passer. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that Lonzo Ball has been putting the whole league on notice this season, but he has shown enough this season to prove to teams throughout the league that he could be a valuable piece for their future.
Lonzo is averaging 12.1 points and 4.5 assists per game, but his shooting percentages are a bit… underwhelming. 39% from the field and an abysmal 28.6% from deep. Lonzo is very much a rhythm player, he needs to get into a groove before he can take off, and with the explosive talents of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, shots can be hard to come by. The Pelicans very well may be ready to shake up the roster and move on from some players. If that is the case, where could Lonzo end up, and where would be his best fit? Let’s jump into it.
Los Angeles Clippers
I’m not really sure how I feel about this one, honestly. Right now, the Clippers are 11-4, and 3rd in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard has obviously played well, averaging basically 25/5/5 per game this season, and Paul George has had a redemption season after not performing well in The Bubble last year, putting up basically 24/6/6. Even with the loss of Montrezel Harrell, the Clippers have been able to play at a high level, but in their four losses, it has been apparent that the Clippers do need one more player to initiate the offense, allowing PG and Kawhi to play off-ball. I’m not certain who the Clippers would give up to get Ball, but what I do know is that a team with Lonzo, Kawhi, PG, and Pat Beverly would be incredibly difficult to score on. The Clippers would get a third ball handler, and Ball could go to a situation where he could win games, and focus on what he’s good at: play-making, playing defense, and keeping the offense in motion.
Dallas Mavericks
Another situation where the star of a team needs another player to do some play-making. Luka Doncic has obviously been fantastic this year, putting up almost a triple-double with 26/10/9.5 a game, and with Kristaps Porzingis coming back into the lineup, the Mavericks are starting to hit their stride. The problem in some of their games this year has been when Luka doesn’t have the ball in his hands, the offense doesn’t really go anywhere. The Mavericks have shooters, they have defenders, they have rim-runners, they have all that you’d need to compete for a championship, but without a secondary play-maker, their offense can only do so much. Last season the Mavericks had one of the greatest offensive seasons of all time, and this year they are in the middle of the pack. If the Mavericks were able to pull off this trade, they would get a secondary ball-handler, and star next to Luka and KP, and for Lonzo, he can lock in on what he does best. Not to mention with Luka and Lonzo, they could play at such a high speed that it could tear a hole in the space/time continuum.
New York Knicks
The Knicks are 8-8 right now, and are fighting for a playoff spot. I’ve written before that they have some players I’m impressed with, even some who I think can win awards this year, but it is going to be an uphill battle from here on out. What can shake things up? Trading for a player who will sell jerseys, bring fans to the stands (when they can come back,) and even out the offense for once. The Knicks have some good players, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Mitchell Robinson just to name a few, not to mention savvy veterans like Julius Randle who is putting on a show as of late. For this to work I think that the Knicks would have to part ways with Kevin Knox, Denis Smith Jr., and a draft pick more than likely. The Knicks would more than likely be able to extend Lonzo’s contract for a few more years, and then be able to run a lineup of Lonzo, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson. Is this team going to win a title? Probably not, but I do like them on paper. They could put points on the board, while Lonzo and Mitchell Robinson anchor the defense. The Knicks need to do something to put themselves back on the map, and while I don’t think that this is that move, I do think that this could be the beginning of something positive for both parties. Knicks get a true point guard and facilitator, and Lonzo gets a fresh start and a new opportunity.
Maybe this is for the best. Lonzo, in my eyes, is a very talented point guard, who has all the skills it takes to have a very long career in this league, but sometimes things just don’t work out. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are becoming quite the scoring duo, and the Pelicans could be looking for a new point guard, especially after not being able to come to terms on an extension with Ball earlier in the season. Sometimes things just need to happen, and we might see this change sooner than expected.
Round The Game 
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