It appears that Lonzo Ball doesn’t hold a grudge against the New Orleans Pelicans despite the franchise failing to give him a new deal and reportedly offering him in trade talks ahead of the trade deadline.

During a recent chat with reporters, Ball said that he “would love to be back” with the Pelicans next season and beyond.

“I built a bond here with the coaches and the teammates who are here,” added Ball, who is set to enter restricted free agency this offseason. “I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back at all.”

His teammate Zion Williamson would also like to continue playing with Ball. According to Williamson, he, Ball, and fellow All-Star Brandon Ingram have a great relationship that can continue growing.

“But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him,” said Williamson. “The only thing I can say is, I hope he stays.”

Ball arguably had his best season as a pro in 2020-21, scoring career-high 14.6 points per contest and adding 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists. But this reportedly didn’t help relieve the doubts that the Pelicans have about his game and his future with the franchise.

New Orleans can keep Lonzo Ball by hammering out a deal before he hits the free agency or by matching any offer he receives from another team. Whether that happens will most likely depend on the type of contract he is asking for. If the price gets too high, expect the Pelicans to bow out as they need to keep their cap flexibility in order to continue building around Williamson.

The post Lonzo Ball “Would Love To Be Back” with the Pelicans Next Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Orleans Pelicans had high hopes for the 2020-21 NBA season, but it looks like the slow start of the season has got them to lower their expectations. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Pelicans are looking to be sellers on the trade market in the coming weeks, with Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick being among the available players.

Charania reports that New Orleans has received several calls about the availability of Ball and Redick in recent days and responded positively to them. The team showed “openness” to discussing trade scenarios with interested parties, and the duo might be moved before the trade deadline if the right offer comes.

Besides having a poor start to the season, there are several other reasons why the Pelicans are interested in trading these players.

Lonzo Ball is set to be a restricted free agent next offseason, which puts the team in danger of losing him for nothing if the 23-year-old point guard receives an offer they are not comfortable with matching. Also, Ball has not been playing very well this season, averaging 12 points, a career-low 3.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and shooting just 29.1 from the three-point arc.

JJ Redick, on the other hand, is a respected shooter around the NBA and could bring in some valuable assets for the future if the team can’t compete at the moment. By moving on from Redick, the Pelicans could also give more minutes to their young guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis.

Redick also hasn’t been on his usual level in 2020-21, averaging only 8.1 points per game.

The post Pelicans Looking to Trade Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Lonzo Ball entered the league with a lot of hype as the Los Angeles Lakers’ second overall pick in 2017 NBA Draft, but it’s safe to say that he is still to meet these expectations. However, he will have an opportunity to make a better impression with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he arrived as part of Anthony Davis’s trade.

Ball’s first two seasons in the league were marked by injuries and inconsistency, but he now joins a talented young team in New Orleans, where he can finally have a breakthrough. It seems like the 21-year-old is aware of this, as he recently called his trade to Pelicans “good news.”

“You probably heard the news. It’s good news in my opinion,” – said Ball in a video posted on Facebook, which was his first public comment since the trade took place. “Melo had a game today. He did good. I got traded. That was good. Now we’re going to be taking the show to New Orleans and turning up out there.”

Lonzo Ball was expected to be one of the building blocks of the new Lakers, and had a solid rookie season in NBA, averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game, even though he had an abysmal shot percentage of 36.0. Ball showed flashes of improvement in his sophomore season, but injuries limited him to only 47 games, and he ended up having a statistically even worse year.

The post Lonzo Ball Says Being Traded to Pelicans is “Good News” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Chicago Bulls have an exciting young core of players in Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine, and Wendell Carter Jr. but the consensus is that they lack a quality point guard that can orchestrate their offense.

The Bulls hoped that they will address that need in the draft, but after falling to No.7 pick in the lottery, the team reportedly shifted their attention to exploring trade options. The name that came up: Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball.

According to Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson, Bulls consider Ball to be an “intriguing” point guard who is team-oriented, defensive-minded and has a pass-first instinct.

Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times confirms Chicago’s interest in the 21-year-old, reporting that Bulls and Lakers already had initial conversations about the player in the past.

Bulls are encouraged by the fact that Los Angeles Lakers intend to pursue New Orleans Pelicans’ superstar Anthony Davis and would be interested in acquiring the assets to push the deal through. Since Lonzo Ball would also be available in the trade with Pelicans, Chicago is considering swooping in and offering Lakers a package that could intrigue New Orleans more than Ball.

Although Ball struggled in his first two years in the league, he is still viewed as a significant talent with exciting upside. He played 47 games in 2018/19 NBA season and averaged 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

The post Chicago Bulls Could Be Interested in Lakers’ Lonzo Ball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It appears that Lonzo Ball doesn’t hold a grudge against the New Orleans Pelicans despite the franchise failing to give him a new deal and reportedly offering him in trade talks ahead of the trade deadline.

During a recent chat with reporters, Ball said that he “would love to be back” with the Pelicans next season and beyond.

“I built a bond here with the coaches and the teammates who are here,” added Ball, who is set to enter restricted free agency this offseason. “I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back at all.”

His teammate Zion Williamson would also like to continue playing with Ball. According to Williamson, he, Ball, and fellow All-Star Brandon Ingram have a great relationship that can continue growing.

“But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him,” said Williamson. “The only thing I can say is, I hope he stays.”

Ball arguably had his best season as a pro in 2020-21, scoring career-high 14.6 points per contest and adding 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists. But this reportedly didn’t help relieve the doubts that the Pelicans have about his game and his future with the franchise.

New Orleans can keep Lonzo Ball by hammering out a deal before he hits the free agency or by matching any offer he receives from another team. Whether that happens will most likely depend on the type of contract he is asking for. If the price gets too high, expect the Pelicans to bow out as they need to keep their cap flexibility in order to continue building around Williamson.

The post Lonzo Ball “Would Love To Be Back” with the Pelicans Next Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Orleans Pelicans had high hopes for the 2020-21 NBA season, but it looks like the slow start of the season has got them to lower their expectations. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Pelicans are looking to be sellers on the trade market in the coming weeks, with Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick being among the available players.

Charania reports that New Orleans has received several calls about the availability of Ball and Redick in recent days and responded positively to them. The team showed “openness” to discussing trade scenarios with interested parties, and the duo might be moved before the trade deadline if the right offer comes.

Besides having a poor start to the season, there are several other reasons why the Pelicans are interested in trading these players.

Lonzo Ball is set to be a restricted free agent next offseason, which puts the team in danger of losing him for nothing if the 23-year-old point guard receives an offer they are not comfortable with matching. Also, Ball has not been playing very well this season, averaging 12 points, a career-low 3.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and shooting just 29.1 from the three-point arc.

JJ Redick, on the other hand, is a respected shooter around the NBA and could bring in some valuable assets for the future if the team can’t compete at the moment. By moving on from Redick, the Pelicans could also give more minutes to their young guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis.

Redick also hasn’t been on his usual level in 2020-21, averaging only 8.1 points per game.

The post Pelicans Looking to Trade Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Lonzo Ball entered the league with a lot of hype as the Los Angeles Lakers’ second overall pick in 2017 NBA Draft, but it’s safe to say that he is still to meet these expectations. However, he will have an opportunity to make a better impression with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he arrived as part of Anthony Davis’s trade.

Ball’s first two seasons in the league were marked by injuries and inconsistency, but he now joins a talented young team in New Orleans, where he can finally have a breakthrough. It seems like the 21-year-old is aware of this, as he recently called his trade to Pelicans “good news.”

“You probably heard the news. It’s good news in my opinion,” – said Ball in a video posted on Facebook, which was his first public comment since the trade took place. “Melo had a game today. He did good. I got traded. That was good. Now we’re going to be taking the show to New Orleans and turning up out there.”

Lonzo Ball was expected to be one of the building blocks of the new Lakers, and had a solid rookie season in NBA, averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game, even though he had an abysmal shot percentage of 36.0. Ball showed flashes of improvement in his sophomore season, but injuries limited him to only 47 games, and he ended up having a statistically even worse year.

The post Lonzo Ball Says Being Traded to Pelicans is “Good News” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Chicago Bulls have an exciting young core of players in Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine, and Wendell Carter Jr. but the consensus is that they lack a quality point guard that can orchestrate their offense.

The Bulls hoped that they will address that need in the draft, but after falling to No.7 pick in the lottery, the team reportedly shifted their attention to exploring trade options. The name that came up: Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball.

According to Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson, Bulls consider Ball to be an “intriguing” point guard who is team-oriented, defensive-minded and has a pass-first instinct.

Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times confirms Chicago’s interest in the 21-year-old, reporting that Bulls and Lakers already had initial conversations about the player in the past.

Bulls are encouraged by the fact that Los Angeles Lakers intend to pursue New Orleans Pelicans’ superstar Anthony Davis and would be interested in acquiring the assets to push the deal through. Since Lonzo Ball would also be available in the trade with Pelicans, Chicago is considering swooping in and offering Lakers a package that could intrigue New Orleans more than Ball.

Although Ball struggled in his first two years in the league, he is still viewed as a significant talent with exciting upside. He played 47 games in 2018/19 NBA season and averaged 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

The post Chicago Bulls Could Be Interested in Lakers’ Lonzo Ball appeared first on SportzBonanza.