How Much Should the New Orleans Pelicans Pay Lonzo Ball?

New Orleans Pelicans: How Much is Lonzo Ball Worth?

First, let’s take a look at what Lonzo Ball is eligible for as a fourth year player in the NBA.

Ball is currently making $8.7 million this season and will make just over $11 million next season. HIs qualifying offer for the 2021-22 is $14.3 million with a hold of $28.7 million.

According to the CBA rules:

"Regular Extensions — A regular extension of a Rookie Scale Contract may add up to 4 new years to the player’s contract (for a total of 5 years when the remaining year is included, as these contracts can only be extended just before the fourth year of the contract, between the end of the moratorium period in July through the day before the regular season season starts). The player’s salary in the first year of the extended term can be any amount up to his applicable maximum annual salary. Salary may increase (or decrease) in the extended term by up to 8% (instead of 5%) of the salary in the first year of the extension."

Because Lonzo has fewer than six years of service, he is eligible for up to 25% of the salary cap or 105% of his previous salary.

The hard part about predicting what Lonzo Ball will actually make with the New Orleans Pelicans is that the salary cap is currently in flux and likely to go down.

The salary cap was originally projected at $115-116 million, but after losing revenue to cancelled games, it could fall as much as $10-12 million, which would affect the annual salary of players who sign this summer.

That might cause Lonzo to hold off, as he might be worth more next summer with another full year of improvement under his belt and a higher salary cap.

Lonzo is unlikely to get the full max, nor sign for the minimum raise, so what he gets will likely be in the meaty ground between the two.