Lonzo Ball will be a free agent at the end of this season and he could be looking at New York as his next destination.
Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Wednesday that New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball will have the New York Knicks “heavily” on his radar this summer. Ball is set to become a restricted free agent after the season. Berman also notes that Ball is high on the list of Knicks president Leon Rose.
New Orleans passed on giving Ball a rookie contract extension at the December deadline. Ball will be seeking big bucks this summer — and Pelicans ownership historically isn’t in the business of dealing with the luxury tax.
The Knicks, who will be armed with plenty of cap room, are in need of an upgrade at the point guard position. They have a current rotation of Derrick Rose, Elfrid Payton, and Frank Ntilikina, all of whom will be free agents themselves after the season. Rookie Immanuel Quickley has been a bright spot for them, but he’s more of a combo guard. If Ball finds himself calling Madison Square Garden his home, he will become an attraction and instant hit on Broadway.