Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart have both been very good for the New Orleans Pelicans this season.
Both are currently injured and will be entering restricted free agency once the season is over. I am personally a fan of both players and hope the Pelicans keep find a way to keep them.
There are definitely ways the Pelicans can keep both Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, and I hope they get it done.
And their contracts are not necessarily connected, though if the Pelicans were to give Lonzo Ball $20 million per season, it might eat into what they are willing to give Josh Hart, who has played well enough to get offers from other teams, especially if the Pelicans come in low.
So in a way, the two are connected, as Josh Hart may have to wait until after the Lonzo drama this offseason to get his offer.
So if you had to keep only one of the two, which one would it be? They are very different players who offer different things and their contracts and fits with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram also have to be considered.
Lonzo Ball vs. Josh Hart: Who is the better offensive player?
Of all the categories, this is one of the easiest to call, as Lonzo Ball is clearly the better offensive player already and is three years younger.
After their first couple of seasons you would have never thought that Lonzo woud be the better 3-point shooter, as Hart was around 40 percent as a rookie while Lonzo was barely hitting over 30 percent.
But Lonzo has kept getting better while Hart’s shooting has dipped. Lonzo is also a much better playmaker, especially in the open floor where Hart is myopic with his head down charging towards the rim.
Hart gets some points for his offensive rebounding, but Lonzo is better already and has an even higher ceiling offensively.
Edge: Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball vs. Josh Hart: Who is the better defensive player?
This one is much harder to call, as both players are good defenders who can defend multiple positions.
I think Lonzo Ball is the better on-the-ball defender when it comes to staying in front of his man and affecting shots.
But Hart is a little stronger and he can defend 1-4 a little more effectively than Lonzo, though It would be nice to have a bigger wing who could handle these duties and let these two defend guards.
I would give Hart a slight edge because of two things: motor and rebounds.
Josh Hart doesn’t take plays off and always brings energy off the bench defensively. Lonzo usually does as well, but energy is Hart’s thing and he is one of the guys that gets the Pelicans going. Lonzo plays this role at times too, so again, this was very close.
People forget that rebounds are a big part of defense and Hart pulls down eight per game, 6.9 of which are on the defensive end. This helps the Pelicans close out defensive possessions and get out on the break.
Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball are both very good defenders, and while Lonzo may have more overall skill, Hart’s energy and rebounds give him a slight advantage.
Edge: Josh Hart
New Orleans Pelicans: Contracts for Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball
This is another category that is pretty easy to call, as Lonzo Ball is going to get more money than Josh Hart whether it is from the Pelicans or someone else.
Lonzo could get a $20 million per year plus offer from someone, especially if the Bulls or Knicks want to make a big splash. Maybe that won’t happen, but Lonzo Ball’s combination of age, skill and marketability will make him appealing to a lot of teams, as we saw with the myriad trade deadline rumors.
What Josh Hart will get is a mystery. If he gets somewhere at or just above the MLE, he’ll be making around $11 million per season, which I think is a good price for the services of Josh Hart.
But he’s another guy who might draw interest from other teams, especially one of the lottery teams that miss out on the top tier free agents. Josh Hart is in the second or even third tier of free agents this offseason, so a team like the Detroit Pistons could offer him a bit more after the top guys are all signed.
I think late-season injuries to both players will hurt their value somewhat, as teams won’t have recent good games to bias their memory, but it is possible that both of these players will get offers the Pelicans don’t want to match.
Either way, Hart will be the much cheaper guy so one question you have to ask is whether you’d rather have Hart and another guy making ten million a year or would you rather have Lonzo Ball making 20 million a year?
If some team offers Hart $15-18 million per season and Lonzo is getting 20, it is going to be hard to keep them both.
The truth is that other teams are a going to have a lot more to do with this than the Pelicans would like.
Edge: Josh Hart
Lonzo Ball vs. Josh Hart: Who is the better fit with Zion Williamson?
Zion Williamson is playing like a future MVP, so whatever moves the Pelicans make will have him in mind.
This is a hard one, as both players fit the profile of the types of players who fit with Zion Williamson.
Lonzo’s assist totals are down, but his shooting and ball movement are still opening up a lot of lanes for Zion Williamson to score.
Lonzo and Zion are good and getting better in the pick-and-roll, Lonzo is one of the best in the NBA at getting Zion the ball in transition and he hits a higher percentage of his 3-point shots on greater volume than Josh Hart.
Lonzo Ball is clearly better for Zion Williamson on offense.
Josh Hart’s ability to guard up makes him a good match for Zion defensively, as he can cover some of Zion’s and Ingram’s deficiencies in that area.
Hart also gets after it on the boards, which allows Zion to leak out on fast breaks, which he loves to do.
I’d still give the edge to Lonzo Ball, especially when you factor in age and future.
Hopefully, the New Orleans Pelicans will be able to keep Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart for the long term, as they are both good players and good fits with Zion, but it may just come down to simple dollars and what kinds of offers they get from other teams.
What you value comes down to perspective, but if I had to choose one, I am definitely keeping Lonzo Ball.
He’s younger, has the higher ceiling and has some intangibles that 26-year-old Josh Hart just doesn’t. I hope they can keep them both, but if ones goes, it will probably be Hart.
Edge: Lonzo Ball