The New York Knicks will likely pursue Lonzo Ball in free agency this offseason.
The New York Knicks have been one of the upstart young teams in the Eastern Conference this season and are hoping their turnaround year, their first under Tom Thibodeau, will result in the team’s first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 NBA season.
However, instead of trying to sell off assets in an attempt to improve the roster at the NBA Trade Deadline, it appears that the Knicks are going to play the long game and wait until the 2021 offseason, in which the Knicks will have plenty of cap space to work with, to drastically improve the roster.
A smart move that perhaps previous incarnations of this team wouldn’t have made. One particular target this offseason that could emerge for the team is Lonzo Ball.
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"[via New York Post]“The Post has learned the Knicks, with plenty of cap room, would be heavily on Ball’s radar as a restricted free agent,” wrote Marc Berman of the New York Post."
Lonzo Ball seems like a perfect fit for the Knicks, who are still looking for their long-term answer at the point guard position. While RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley continue to impress as a duo, this team is missing a point guard to help run the show. Derrick Rose has been a huge addition but should be viewed as more of a stopgap than a long-term answer for the team.
Nevertheless, with Ball entering restricted free agency this offseason it wouldn’t be surprised that New York would be interested.
Despite a slow start to the season, you can make the argument that Ball is actually having the best season of his career thus far with New Orleans. Ball is averaging 14 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range.
There’s no guarantee that the New Orleans Pelicans want to re-sign him during the offseason and there’s even an off-chance that they move him by the trade deadline.
He’s a big guard that would buy right into what Thibodeau is building in New York. Plus, he would get a fresh start and an opportunity to rebuild his reputation in the big stage of New York. He wouldn’t have all the pressure on him as he did in Los Angeles (with Barrett emerging as a star) but would still play a vital role for an emerging playoff team in the Eastern Conference.
New York would be a great landing spot for Lonzo Ball and seems like a great fit for the team as well.