Should the New Orleans Pelicans trade Lonzo Ball?
That is the question fans are asking after rumors started circulating that the Pels were taking calls about J.J. Redick and Lonzo Ball.
Some fans think the Pels should cut bait and get what they can get for their point guard while others think Lonzo is a future star who the Pels should not give up on.
It’s a tough call.
Trading a player before he hits his prime is always a gamble, but there is also the chance that this IS his prime, so paying a max contract for an unknown is also a pretty big risk.
The Pels will be taking a leap of faith either way.
Here are some of the pros and cons of trading Lonzo Ball, starting with the idea of trading him well before the deadline.
New Orleans Pelicans: Should the Pels trade Lonzo Ball now?
Trading Lonzo Ball now
There is still two months before the trade deadline, so even though there is a lot of buzz at the moment, the Pels don’t have to be in a rush to trade Lonzo Ball. Here are the pros and cons of doing the deal now.
Pro: Lonzo Ball is a trade asset right now. He has already missed a couple of games to injury and the Pels need to deal him while he is healthy to get maximum value. Teams will give up more now because they’ll get more season to audition Lonzo for the future.
Also, Lonzo hasn’t been playing well, so there is an argument to deal him before his value plummets even more.
Con: The fact that Lonzo Ball is playing poorly is exactly the reason not to trade him now. This would be selling low on the part of the New Orleans Pelicans. His value can’t get much lower than it is right now, so allowing him to play the next few months will likely increase his value to other teams.
New Orleans Pelicans: What will Lonzo Ball get in a trade?
The Assets
Moving Lonzo Ball will almost certainly bring back an asset of some kind. The Pels can either switch him out for a guy who better fits the roster, someone like Kelly Oubre or they can try to move him for a pick in a loaded draft.
Pros: If you can get a first-round pick for Lonzo Ball in the 2021 Draft then you do it and do it now, especially if it is not protected. The 2021 draft class is loaded and the Pels might be able to net a superstar if they end up with even more picks. They already have two, but adding a third in this draft would give them the firepower to move up and get a superstar.
If the Pels decide to go after a player, they can find a wing or forward who better fits their roster needs and might be on a favorable contract.
Cons: Lonzo Ball was the 2nd overall pick in the draft and there is no guarantee that anyone they choose is going to be better. Lonzo is only 23-years-old, barely older than some of the draft prospects, so the Pels would just be trading an unknown for an even bigger unknown.
Lonzo Ball could be a star in this league and the draft is always a crapshoot.
Same with getting a player. Do you really think the Pels are going to get equal value for Lonzo Ball right now? Do you think a guy like Kelly Oubre has the same ceiling as Lonzo? I don’t. The Pels will end up taking back a lesser player and would probably regret it.
New Orleans Pelicans: Could the Pels use Lonzo Ball in a big trade?
The big trade
The other option would be to try and package Lonzo Ball with other players and picks to get a big name like Bradley Beal.
This sounds like a no-brainer for the Pelicans right now but there are some pros and cons.
Pros: If the Pels can use Lonzo Ball, J.J. Redick and a bunch of picks to get a guy like Beal then they absolutely should. The Pels need a third star to put with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram and Beal has already proven he is a star in this league.
Lonzo hasn’t, so if they can package him to get a star, they almost have to do it. The NBA is a star-driven league and nearly all of the best teams have three of them. The Pels could potentially have the best starting five in the NBA.
Cons: Trading away players and picks would not only deplete the Pels’ depth but make it harder to pull off big moves in the future.
The Pels would have to be certain that any star they trade for is one they want to build around for the long-term because they are likely only getting one shot at it. It would be risky for the Pels to push in all of their chips when their two stars are in their early-20’s.
They are going to have opportunities because of their talent and draft capital, so why not wait until the team is ready to win?
There are some solid arguments for and against trading Lonzo Ball and the Pels will have to weigh them all.
One thing is for certain, until the New Orleans Pelicans act, Lonzo Ball is going to be in every trade rumor.