Lonzo Ball is set to be one of the headline free agents of the 2021 NBA offseason. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks are projected to have around $50 million in cap space: Ball is New York's best offseason bet.
Ball's second season with the New Orleans Pelicans has seen him do what he has done over his entire NBA career: improve. The 2020-21 season has been the UCLA product's finest work. Running the show for the Pelicans, Ball is averaging 14.5 points, 5.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting career highs from the field (42.4 percent) and beyond the arc (38.4 percent).
He's making a difference across the board.
Ball does a little bit of everything. He's a superb rebounding guard who has a knack for finding his teammates in their hotspots while also developing himself into an efficient outside shooter and a respectable defender. Ball is a well-rounded floor general and would be a tremendous fit in head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation.
The Knicks have made enormous strides this season, as they're on pace to at least compete in one of the two Eastern Conference play-in tournament matchups. Julius Randle has been a premier frontcourt scorer. RJ Barrett has taken the next step. Immanuel Quickley has been a rookie sensation. Veterans Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose have had their moments. Prior to his foot injury, center Mitchell Robinson was securing the paint.
This season is one to build on for Thibodeau's group.
The upcoming free agent period will mark the third consecutive offseason that the Knicks have $35-plus million in cap space. At some point, that max-level money has to be spent on max-level players, not several individuals who merely fill up the cap space. Ball presents a viable way to utilize the cap room.
Point guard is a pressing need for the Knicks. Quickley has been a sight to behold off the bench, scoring off the dribble and from distance. That said, while capable of handling the rock, Quickley has been more of a combo guard than a true point guard.
Ball makes his teammates better. His sly passing ability would help get Barrett and Quickley more open looks. The point guard roaming around the perimeter can also draw double-teams, potentially opening up a big man inside for an easy two (Robinson/Noel).
The four-year guard doesn't get in anyone's way. He would actually help the development of the Knicks' youngsters. Barrett has taken a step forward this season, operating with more assertion on the offensive end. Quickley is averaging 11.8 points per game while shooting 37.0 percent from beyond the arc and 89.6 percent from the free throw line.
At the same time, both players have room for growth. Barrett needs to become more consistent offensively, whereas Quickley is yet to start on a full-time basis. Plus, can Randle be what he has been this season in the years to come?
The Knicks' focus this offseason should be on one or two things: adding a floor general and/or a legitimate number one/two scorer to play next to Randle. If Leon Rose, William Wesley and friends go with the first option, the point guard they bring in has to be someone who will facilitate for others, enhancing their play. Ball perfectly fits the bill. By the way, he played with Randle in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-18).
Ball's experience playing in a big market like Los Angeles bodes well for the Knicks. They'd be signing someone accustomed to outside scrutiny and distractions. There's also the idea that Ball has never had security in the NBA.
Ball's rookie season was a mess off the court with his father, Lavar, making headlines practically every week and the conversation rarely being about Lonzo the player. Then LeBron James joined the Lakers and Ball's future became murky midway through the 2018-19 season, when they supposedly tried to strike a trade with the Pelicans for Anthony Davis. Lo and behold, they completed a trade that offseason, sending Ball and others to the Big Easy.
A year and a half into his time with the Pelicans (this season), Ball was frequently discussed in trade rumors leading up to the NBA trade deadline. This came after the team selected point guard Kira Lewis Jr. with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Signing with the Knicks all but likely means that Ball has a permanent home for the foreseeable future.
A soon-to-be restricted free agent at season's end, the Knicks will likely have to fork over a four-year contract that pays Ball $20-plus million in average annual value; it's worth it. That said, they'll also need to keep having those plausible-to-great campaigns to pick up where they left off next season. They have to keep the roots in the ground for the tree to grow.
The Knicks can sign Ball and still have the flexibility to make impact moves and/or signings that effectively fill out the rotation. For instance, they have the assets to make a blockbuster trade with the likes of Quickley, Barrett, Robinson, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox and five first-round draft selections over the next three years at their disposal.
Again, they have to keep what has helped them get this far. The point is they have the assets to execute a franchise-altering trade. Some combination of the aforementioned assets should be able to net them someone like Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal or Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns if they want to go that route. All the while, they could re-sign Noel and wings Reggie Bullock and Alec Burks, who have each shot and defended well this season.
A long-term deal for Lonzo Ball means the Knicks are investing in a 23-year-old who has become more impactful and productive with age. What team doesn't want to invest in that?
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