Lonzo Ball’s name keeps coming up in trade rumors, even as there are questions about whether the New Orleans Pelicans point guard is even available.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks have both reached out to the Pelicans about a Ball trade. The Bulls have offered Tomas Satoransky and second-round picks, while talks with the Hawks are centered on Cam Reddish.
There remains skepticism that the Pelicans are willing to trade Ball right now. However, they are also aware of the reality that Ball is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. While they can gamble on some sort of sign-and-trade deal in the summer, there is also the risk of either losing him for nothing or being confronted with matching a hefty contract they would not be enthusiastic about.
Ball’s numbers have improved this year, with the guard shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the arc and averaging a career-best 14.2 points per game. There appears to be at least one other team eyeing him right now, and the 23-year-old will definitely be in high demand this summer no matter what.
