Pelicans Could Have Competitive Market to Keep Lonzo Ball This Summer

Lonzo Ball just finished up his final season under contract for the New Orleans Pelicans, notching the best season of his career. With that in mind, they could struggle to keep him around given the number of teams interested. 

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe recently spoke on The Woj Pod, talking about Lonzo Ball’s upcoming restricted free agency. They both expect the market for him to be competitive for the Pelicans.

While nearly any team could use a guy like Ball, only a handful of teams will be able to pay the price to pry him away from New Orleans, who can match any offer. Among the teams who are expected to have the most interest include the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls. 

The Bulls make a lot of sense, especially considering Chicago made a real run at Ball at the recent trade deadline with serious trade talks. 

The Knicks are projected to have as much cap space as anyone this summer, meaning they could give Ball a huge payday to bring him in. 

There will be many other teams that look into Ball and his services, but it appears New York and Chicago could be potential landing spots for the talented young guard. 

In the 2020-21 season, Ball averaged 14.6 points, 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting a career-high .378 from beyond the arc.