There are good reasons why a Lakers and Lonzo Ball reunion are unlikely this summer, including Ball preferring not to return to the team that traded him and the Lakers not wanting to be hardcapped due to a sign-and-trade.
But there are also compelling reasons why Lonzo Ball today could be the perfect point guard to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis and a better option as a playmaker, shooter, and defender than Dennis Schroder. Lonzo is also a better complement for 20-year old Talen Horton-Tucker, whom the Lakers project as part of their backcourt of the future who needs to be paired with a guard who can shoot the three and take care of the ball.
The 23-year old 6′ 6″ Ball shoots 38.4% on 8.1 threes and makes 5.7 assists to 2.0 turnovers per game whereas the 27-year old 6′ 3″ Schroder shoots 34.1% on just 3.3 threes and averages 5.4 assists to 2.8 turnovers per game. The younger and bigger Ball also has greater upside as a player and is more versatile as defender than the older and smaller Schroder. Ball averages 0.6 blocks and 1.4 steals per game vs. 0.2 blocks and 1.2 steals for Schroder.
Like Schroder, Ball is going to be looking for a big raise in free agency this summer. He knows his days in New Orleans are over and because he’ll be a restricted free agent, the Pelicans will be looking to sign-and-trade him. Spending more than $20 million for Lonzo Ball, even though it would hard cap them, would be a smarter move than spending that much for Dennis Schroder, who’s nowhere near as good a fit for what the Lakers need.
But there may be strong competition for Ball, who’s dramatically improved his shooting over the last two years. He’s not only become an elite high volume 3-point shooter but is now also shooting almost 80% from the line. With Zion dominating the ball for the Pelicans as a point forward, Lonzo has learned to thrive off the ball, becoming a true 3&D guard whom the Pelicans would like to keep but not at the cost of going into the luxury tax.
Should Lonzo be interested, the Lakers should jump at the opportunity. They could move some long term salary commitments to open up space under the hard cap to give Horton-Tucker and Caruso well deserved raises. The Pelicans might be receptive to receiving Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in return for Lonzo Ball. Kuzma and KCP are both young, proven, championship quality rotation players on team friendly contracts.
A sign-and-trade with the Pelicans for Lonzo Ball on a 4-year deal starting at $20 million for Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s combined $26 million per year would end up saving the Lakers $6 million salary per year. Lonzo Ball would become the starting point guard and Talen Horton-Tucker the starting shooting guard, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a dynamic young backcourt of the future to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
As for being hardcapped again, there’s a sense from writers following the Lakers like Eric Pincus the Lakers might welcome financial constraints to prevent them from overspending and incurring stratospheric luxury taxes. There was talk from Woj and other pundits that the Lakers were looking for ways to get out of some of their future commitments to create flexibility this summer to re-sign their own free agents Horton-Tucker and Caruso.
Another wrinkle of a Lonzo Ball and Lakers reunion is Ball’s agent is now Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. It’s no secret Rob Pelinka and Rich Paul have a history of making moves to mutually benefit the Lakers and Klutch clients. There’s something karmic about Lonzo signing with the player agent who engineered his trade to New Orleans. What better story than the prodigal son returning to lead the team that drafted him to more championships.
At 23, Lonzo has become his own man, no longer tethered to the whims and opinions of a dominant father. He’s put his career in the capable hands of Rich Paul and worked hard to become a better and more valuable player. While New York is tempting, Rich Paul surely knows the best landing spot for Lonzo Ball and his career would be back at Staples next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He’s the perfect point guard for the LA Lakers.
Temporarily overshadowed by his younger brother LaMelo’s sensational rookie season, Lonzo has an opportunity to return to Los Angeles, rejoin LeBron, and become the first Ball brother to win an NBA championship.
You almost have to wonder whether Rob Pelinka and Rich Paul have already discussed the possibility of Lonzo Ball returning to the Lakers and that’s one of the reasons they haven’t given Dennis Schroder that extension. By every measure – shooting, playmaking, defense – Lonzo is a better player and fit than Dennis. The reunion of Lonzo and the Lakers would be great.
You also wonder if this was in the back of Lonzo Ball’s mind when he decided to sign with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. Lakers and Klutch have partnered to boost the Lakers championship hopes and the careers and paydays of the multiple Klutch clients who’ve signed with the Lakers. There’s a synergy there that’s working.
There’s also something logical and savvy about the Lakers wanting to be hard capped to insure they won’t end up paying stratospheric luxury taxes like the Warriors and Nets are going to pay. And KCP and Kuzma would be great financial and talent fits for a Pelicans team that is one of only two NBA franchises to never pay any luxury taxes. Pelinka and Buss know that too.
Finally, Lonzo would be the ideal backcourt mate for THT and for LeBron and AD. He’s now a proven high 30’s volume 3-point shooter who’s also solved the free throw issues and is shooting almost 80% from the line. His entire game is exactly what the Lakers need in a point guard. Lonzo and the Lakers are a match made in heaven… or in Rich Paul’s and Rob Pelinka’s minds.
Other than trading for Myles Turner, which I think the Lakers might still be able to do, trading for Lonzo would be the smartest available move the Lakers could make this summer. They could then follow that up by pulling off a sign-and-trade of Harrell, THT, and two first round picks for Myles Turner. I laid out the numbers and the Lakers can do this and still stay under the hard cap.
I would love to see Lonzo back, but I am concerned about his health. He’s missed about 30% of his team games since he’s been in the league. Hopefully he’ll be able to stay healthy whether he reunites with the Lakers or not.
Health has become a major concern with many players, Lee. I’m hoping Lonzo will be able to stay healthier going forward. The last two seasons in particular have been trying for everybody’s health.
Curious why you think he knows his days with Pels are over?
The Pelicans are one of only two NBA teams that have never paid luxury taxes. While Lonzo has played great for them, they’re not willing to pay him $20 million per year, not with big raises coming soon for Zion and other young players. They see Josh Hart as the less expensive version of Lonzo for their purposes. That’s why he was on the trade market at the deadline and will likely be sign-and-traded this summer. One of the reasons AD wanted out of New Orleans was his belief ownership was not willing to pay to build a championship team. Also, Lonzo does not like it there and wants to move. That may change but most of the stories coming out of New Orleans seem to confirm that Lonzo will be traded this summer.
You literally cannot help yourself. He’s mentally and physically weak. Stay away.
It’s easy to throw shade when you don’t agree but the facts dispute your claims. Mentally and physically weak? This is a player who has retooled his once crazy jump shot and has shot 37% and 38% the last two seasons and is one of a dozen NBA players shooting over 8 threes per game. He also has retooled his once horrid free throw shooting and is not shooting 79% from the line. Finally, as Zion took over control of the ball as point forward, Lonzo has adjusted his game to becoming the penultimate 3&D player. And while he still respects his father, he’s become his own man, signing with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, the agent who engineered the AD trade that sent him away from the Lakers. Give the kid the credit due, Stan. He’s only 23 but has rebounded from a tumultuous first couple of years with the Lakers to become a premier point guard who has a great future and would be a perfect fit on the Lakers.
He still can’t stay on the court and shrinks in the moment. Dispute that.
Give LakerTom credit: he gets a player he likes in his mind and like a bird dog he doesn’t stop hunting. I’m sure he’s also trying to orchestrate a way for us to obtain Victor Oladipo so he can recover and he the plyer he was, what… three seasons ago?
Schroder and Ball are a wash statistically, the differences minimal and Ball has not been tasked with leading a team. He’s the third option on the Pelicans, at best, and the notion that he “wants to leave” because ” he doesn’t like it there” is naught but personal opinion and speculation.
If Ball does come back it absolutely should not be in a sign and trade. The idea that the Lakers want to handcuff themselves is ludicrous. They don’t need to spend into the stratosphere you just let Schroder walk. We’ve done worse. See Randle, Julius for whom we got n-a-d-a. Zip, zilch, zero. Not even a 2nd round pick in 3067.
Like Schroder I believe Lonzo’s market has been inflated by hype and his decent three point % in one single season. This is not consistency, this is “my contract is up, better make some shots” kind of play. While I do think he will be a solid three point shooter it’s not like he’s leading the Pelicans to the playoffs. He’s the 3rd or 4th ball handler on a team fighting for the play-in. Zion, Ingram, Bledose, Ball. Sorry, that’s not $20 million on the Lakers. Might be $20 mil in Orlando or some such local.
Both Lonzo and Schroder, frankly, should leap at whatever team offers them more than $15 million if money is the object. If the Lakers offer either player that sum I will be disappointed. Neither player is the future of our team. Far better to continue to groom THT while LeBron is on the team rather than invest in the Fool’s Gold that is both Ball and Schroder. I’m not fooled by the game or two that both show elite stats in, I’m far more convinced by the body of evidence the majority of the games they play in reveal.
Let’s look at their playoff stats. That’ll be easy because of the two only has played in a playoff game. That would be Dennis. His playoff numbers aren’t great. As a starter in Atlanta in 2016-17 he had his best showing. Since then, as a backup but with high level responsibilities and expectations he’s been mediocre. He’s never been a key cog on a team that won one playoff series. Which was once, when he averaged 19 mpg in the playoffs in 2015-16 in Atlanta. The biggest issue I have is that in all his playoff series, as has been the case as a Laker, his assist to turnover ratio is atrocious. Save for 2016-17 where he averaged 7.7 assists to 1.7 turnovers they are all subpar for a team with banner expectations. They’re fine for a shooting guard or a backup but not for a starting PG.
I’ll honestly be fine if either Ball returns or Schroder is retained or even if they both end up Lakers. For the right price. That price is not in the $20 million dollar range and, for me, does not go one cent over $15 million. Their skillsets are complimentary in nature, neither is an “alpha” type player. It’s because of that they both over-value their worth. If they make 20+, good on them and their respective agents. if it’s with the Lakers then Rob isn’t doing his job very well.