lonzo ball

Report: Knicks still eyeing Lonzo Ball trade; Mitchell Robinson draws interest from teams

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New York Knicks, Lonzo Ball

After dealing away Austin Rivers and Ignas Brazdeikis, the New York Knicks appear to have still some moves to make as the NBA trade deadline reaches its 11th hour.

Ian Begley of SNY reports that the Knicks remains active in discussion with the New Orleans for a potential trade involving Lonzo Ball.

ESPN’s Andrew Lopez just reported that Ball pulled himself out early in today’s practice.

Ball is set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason. Trading for Ball now means the Knicks will have the right to match any offer he can get from the other teams.

Mitchell Robinson, who was impressive in his second game back from hand surgery, is also garnering some interest. Begley reports that teams have reached out to the Knicks about trading for Robinson.

It is unclear if Robinson is on the table for a Ball deal.

The Knicks have been linked to Cleveland Cavaliers’ center Andre Drummond for quite some time now. If Robinson is flipped for Ball, then a Drummond deal via trade or buyout market makes more sense for the Knicks.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks Mock Trade: Acquiring Lonzo Ball and a sharpshooter from the Pelicans

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New York Knicks, Lonzo Ball

The New York Knicks could use a bit more firepower on offense, and with continued interest ahead of the March 27 trade deadline, a deal could occur at any moment. Head coach Tom Thibodeau likes his current squad, simply based on their incredible defensive prowess. The Knicks currently have the number one ranked defense in the NBA in points allowed per game with 104.9. Immediately behind them is the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

With good defense, the Knicks remain competitive in most contests, but their lack of offense has hurt them at times. Bringing in a few more solid pieces in that category could push them over the edge, especially against some playoff-caliber teams. The Knicks most recently lost two consecutive games to the Nets and 76ers, two playoff-bound squads. Losing by five points to the Nets and three points of the 76ers was disappointing, but it proved that New York has what it takes to remain competitive against winning teams.

Let’s take a look at a deal that would send Lonzo Ball and a sharpshooter to the Knicks, providing them with some support.

Mock trade between the Knicks and Pelicans, proposed by B/Rs Greg Swartz:

Knicks receive:

Lonzo Ball

JJ Redick

Pelicans Get:

Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina

Elfrid Payton

2021 first-round pick (via Dal)

2021 second-round pick (via Det)

This is an intriguing mock trade, as Ball is averaging 14.2 points over 31.7 minutes per game. He’s also averaging 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals this season. He would immediately become the most offensively productive point guard on the team, with Derrick Rose close behind. The problem is, the Knicks will have to part with Frank Ntilikina, their defensive gem, who doesn’t offer much support on offense but is a solid backup who can hold a team’s top scorer down.

Loop in the first and second-round pick, plus Kevin Knox and Elfrid Payton, New York, walks away with Ball and JJ Redick, who is averaging just 8.7 points at 36 years old. He’s having a down season, but he has family in Brooklyn and would likely rejuvenate given a move to New York.
Personally, I’m not a fan of this trade, simply based on the fact that JJ Redick is far too old to rely on consistently, and Ball is only averaging 14.2 points per game. However, you can justify it based on Lonzo’s potential, since at 23 years old, he’s just scratching the surface of his abilities.
If the Knicks like Ball that much, this is a solid deal that nets them a point guard ready to take a big developmental jump. With great coaching, I believe they can unlock his potential, but they would have to give up a nice haul in the process.

John Hollinger suggests how Knicks can land Lonzo Ball, Victor Oladipo

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The New York Knicks point guard woes is nearing the red alert level with Immanuel Quickley (sore ankle) joining Elfrid Payton (hamstring) and Derrick Rose (health and safety protocols) at the sidelines entering Thursday’s game against the visiting Orlando Magic.

The Knicks are left with Frank Ntilikina and two-way player Jared Harper as the only point guards. New York coach Tom Thibodeau would only break the emergency glass and reach for Harper when push comes to shove. But against the Magic, who are also without their top two point guards, Thibodeau can survive with Ntilikina in the starting lineup. RJ Barrett and point-forward Julius Randle will be helping in playmaking. Alec Burks will again be the Knicks’ part-time point guard.

But this band-aid solution won’t get the Knicks over the hump in their playoff push.

John Hollinger, the former Memphis Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations and now a front office insider for The Athletic, suggested two trades that could help the Knicks immediately and set them up for the future.

Solving Knicks PG woes

In a trade deadline talk with William Guillory, The Athletic’s New Orleans Pelicans beat writer, Hollinger threw a wild trade scenario that would land Lonzo Ball in New York.

Hollinger’s trade proposal:

Knicks will acquire

  • Lonzo Ball
  • JJ Redick
  • Jaxson Hayes

Pelicans will acquire

  • Mitchell Robinson
  • Elfrid Payton
  • Austin Rivers
  • Ignas Brazdeikis
  • Dallas’ 2021 first-round pick
  • lightly protected 2021 Knicks first-round pick

Hollinger noted that it’s an overpay, but it’s the only way the Pelicans should be tempted to part ways with Ball, who has turned the corner after a slow start to this season.

Ball is coming off a career-high 17 assists and 11 points in the Pelican’s one-point loss to Portland Trail Blazers the other night. His shooting, which has been his game’s perceived weakness, is coming along well this year. He’s a reliable 39 percent three-point shooter on 7.7 attempts this season. More importantly, he’s shooting 47 percent of his corner 3s, per Cleaning the Glass.

This trade, according to Hollinger, will help the Knicks’ playoff push with Ball and Redick. It would also be easier for the Knicks to retain Ball’s services in the offseason as they could match any offer sheet he can get in the market.

It should be noted that the Mavericks have now entered the Western Conference’s playoff picture after a slow start. They have now won seven of their last 10 games. If the Mavericks continue their upward trend, the 2021 first-round pick they owe to the Knicks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade will land outside the lottery.

Firepower help

The other deal Hollinger proposed in his column today is for Houston Rockets’ Victor Oladipo.

Hollinger’s trade proposal:

Knicks will acquire

  • Victor Oladipo
  • Sterling Brown

Rockets will acquire

  • Frank Ntilikina
  • Kevin Knox
  • Detroit’s 2021 second-round pick
  • Minnesota’s 2021 second-round pick
  • $5.2 million cash

Hollinger noted that Oladipo’s Bird Rights would give the Knicks some wiggle room in roster construction next season as they could retain him without using the cap room.

Oladipo is coming off his best game in Houston uniform against his former coach Nate McMillan and the soaring Atlanta Hawks. Oladipo played like an All-Star in that 109-117 loss last Tuesday, leading the Rockets with a season-high 34 points on 13-for-20 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3. He also handed out five assists and grabbed three rebounds in 41 minutes.

Before the game, McMillan provided clues as to why he believes Oladipo could soon return to the elite level he once was.

“I was with him last season,” McMillan said. “I know what he has done to commit to getting his body back to as close to what he was before the injury. He has invested in making sure he has everything he needs as far as trainers and doctors and putting in the work to get to that point.”

Oladipo proved McMillan right on the court that night.

Now, it’s up to the Knicks whether they believe that Oladipo can get back to that level consistently under Thibodeau.

If yes, cashing in on the Mavericks’ pick, as Hollinger suggested, could do the trick.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks News: With point guard struggles mounting a Lonzo Ball trade could be in the near future

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New York Knicks, Lonzo Ball

The New York Knicks have mounting problems at point guard, especially since they aren’t fully committed to Immanuel Quickley at the position. Both Elfrid Payton and Derrick Rose have missed the past few games, and if those inconsistencies are to continue, New York might want to look at the trade market to add another option.

The Knicks have been connected to a variety of players, including Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo and pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball.

Marc Berman of the NY Post believes the Knicks still have their eyes on Pelicans PG Lonzo Ball:

That is why the Knicks have always kept an eye on Hornets point guard Terry Rozier and young Pelicans playmaker Lonzo Ball (who would probably be more of a summer transaction).

Though Rockets combo guard Victor Oladipo is available, Pelicans pass-first point guard Lonzo Ball is higher on Leon Rose’s list.

Ball is an intriguing player that the Knicks could utilize due to his offensive contributions. While he’s only averaging 14.2 points per game over 31.5 minutes, the Knicks have been forced to roll with Frank Ntilikina, who is more of a defensive player and doesn’t offer much on the offensive side of the ball.

Making a move for Lonzo would undoubtedly flush the team with point guards, but that is never a bad problem considering the Knicks have lacked a true consistent starter for quite some time. Ball is only in his fourth season in the NBA, and at 23 years old, has plenty of time to continue developing. He’s having his best season offensively, connecting on .426 of field goals and .389 from downtown. His free-throw percentage has also taken a significant step forward, posting a .566% free-throw rate in 2019 and seeing a bump to .767% this year.

A move for a point guard should be predicated on Quickley’s development, as taking valuable minutes away from him might not be the most beneficial move. However, adding competition is never a bad thing, but the Knicks might have to give up a few young pieces and draft capital to acquire Ball.

What could Andre Drummond cost the Knicks? Is he worth the price?

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New York Knicks, Andre Drummond

With starting center Mitchell Robinson still on the recovery from his fractured right hand surgery, the New York Knicks have done their due diligence on Cleveland Cavaliers’ big man Andre Drummond.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks have explored the possibility of adding Drummond, a four-time NBA rebounding leader and a two-time All-Star, for their playoff chase.

Charania added that the Knicks are mulling a multi-year deal to lure Drummond from going elsewhere. Title contenders Los Angeles Lakers and the Knicks’ crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets are believed to be potential destinations for Drummond should he enter a buyout agreement and becomes a free agent.

The Knicks, however, can also outright eliminate other suitors if they trade for Drummond, and it will probably cost them a second-round pick and/or two of three salary fillers from their expendable players like Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina, or even Kevin Knox. The Cavaliers are believed to be seeking an asset in return for Drummond.

But if the Knicks wanted to join the Drummond sweepstakes via buyout, what can they offer in a multi-year deal to pry him away from the minimum deal that comes with the glittery promise of a Larry O’Brien trophy in Los Angeles or Brooklyn?

Drummond’s market price

ESPN Front Office Insider and former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks gave us an idea of Drummond’s price range in the open market.

“He’s a $15-17 million player,” Marks told Empire Sports Media.

But he’s also skeptical if he’ll be worth it since he believes Drummond won’t be a major upgrade from Robinson.

“They are a first-round [playoff] team right now,” Marks said. And he answered with an emphatic “No” when asked if Drummond gives the Knicks a better shot of advancing deeper in the playoffs.

At a bare minimum, the Knicks can use Drummond as insurance for Robinson [if he’ll be out longer than expected] as they navigate the third toughest schedule in the second half.

Drummond averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 25 games for the Cavaliers before he was shut down.

In contrast, Robinson was averaging 8.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.1 blocks before he went down with an injury last month. Backup center Nerlens Noel is averaging 6.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks since he took over from Robinson.

Risk-cost benefit

When Robinson comes back at full health, Tom Thibodeau would have more options.

If he wants to generate more offense from the post, he could roll with the more offensively-polished Drummond. But if he wants rim protection, Robinson could have more value on the court. This could make Noel expendable and move Taj Gibson further down the rotation.

Drummond will be a bigger weapon to have against Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo or the firepower-heavy Nets in a potential first-round playoff series. But as Marks suggested, Drummond won’t push the Knicks over the first-round hump.

However, the bigger concern would be the risk of drilling a hole in the already solid Knicks’ chemistry.

Drummond could eat into the Knicks’ lone post threat Julius Randle’s usage rate on top of potentially rubbing Robinson the wrong way. Unless the Knicks intend to flip Robinson into a major backcourt upgrade such as Lonzo Ball or in a larger package for an All-Star level guard like Bradley Beal or Victor Oladipo, Leon Rose and his shrewd front office could be on to something.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Why the New York Knicks should trade for Lonzo Ball

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New York Knicks, Lonzo Ball

When you think of Lonzo Ball, you think of his father and his antics. Comparing Lonzo to Steph Curry, saying he could beat MJ in a 1-on-1. This has turned off a lot of NBA fans from Lonzo Ball as a player, but in 2021, he’s become an amazing point guard. He’s shooting great from deep on 7.8 attempts and is overall a passive guard who plays defense and would be perfect for the New York Knicks. Tom Thibodeau wants a defensively sound guard at the PG spot, and Lonzo is quite the defender. At 6’6, he’s able to outmatch a lot of PGs length-wise while providing 38.7% shooting from 3. His efficiency across the board has gone up, and in Thibodeau’s defensive system, Lonzo Ball could elevate into an elite defender. If the Knicks want to make a move this deadline, Lonzo Ball is the right move to make.

Improved Efficiency

Lonzo Ball from 2017-2018 was one of the worst offensive point guards in basketball. His nauseating shooting splits and an inability to elevate as a shooter drew the label of “bust” to Ball. His stat line in those 2 years in his percentage was as bad as it gets:

38% FG%
31.5% 3P%
43.7% FT%
46.3% TS%

In 2019 this terrible stretch continued, with his first 21 games producing a 33.1% 3P% and 56% FT%, yikes. After that, though, something clicked in his shot, and he was suddenly a deep threat for the Pelicans. While his FT% was still putrid at 56.9%, he was able to shoot 39.5% from 3 on 6.5 attempts a game, and this shooting prowess only got better this year. So far, statistically, he’s been pretty solid across the board in his percentages

42.8% FG%
38.7% 3P%
77.5% FT%
56.3% TS%

Lonzo Ball is now…an efficient PG who’s an amazing shooter from deep and can be the perfect offensive piece for this offense, who desperately needs that consistent deep threat who can playmaker to pair with Randle and Barrett.

Massive Improvement Over Elfird Payton

Let’s first compare their statistics, and when you look at the numbers, Ball is very clearly better than Payton:

Lonzo Ball:
56.3% TS%
1.3 Offensive Win Shares
0.6 Defensive Win Shares
.083 Win Shares per 48
2.5 RAPTOR WAR
0.91 LEBRON

Elfrid Payton:
49.1% TS%
-0.2 Offensive Win Shares
1.0 Defensive Win Shares
.041 Win Shares per 48
0.3 RAPTOR WAR
-2.47 LEBRON

Yes, a lot of these numbers are advanced metrics, but they help with total value as Payton is a defensive-oriented guard, and yet despite that, he’s still vastly inferior to Lonzo Ball, who’s nearly as good of a defender and a far superior offensive player.

For their playstyles, Lonzo Ball is a no-brainer for the Knicks. Payton oftentimes slows down the pace of the offense. They both shoot a similar amount of times per game, but Lonzo’s attempts are mostly from deep, specializing in straightaway and corner threes. This means most of his scoring comes naturally in the flow of the offense, rather than him attacking the basket. Payton has started to excel at attacking the basket in recent weeks, however, this playstyle hinders an offense that has a slasher in RJ Barrett and someone who’s aggressive in Julius Randle. They also don’t have a stretch big, meaning Reggie Bullock often times is their only perimeter player in the starting lineup. With Lonzo Ball, he becomes the primary ball-handler and someone who’s going to make passes to aggressive scorers while his off-the-ball movement limits traffic in the paint when RJ makes a dash towards the basket.

Could Lonzo Ball Be Part Of the Future For the Knicks?

Lonzo Ball is currently 23 years old. He’s only half a year older than Obi Toppin and less thane 2 years older than Immanuel Quickley. He’s someone you can have at the point guard spot for a very long time, and while he isn’t a superstar, he is the perfect fit for this current roster. The spacing, passing, and even his ability to rebound at a proficient rate make him the total offensive package at PG for a team that centers around Randle and Barrett. His defensive abilities are also very sound, being someone who has the size to guard the 1 or 2 at a high level. He’d excel in Thib’s defensive scheme, and I think he’d simply allow this offense to run much smoother. The lineup and rotation with Lonzo Ball would look like this:

Lonzo Ball PG
RJ Barrett SG
Reggie Bullock SF
Julius Randle PF
Mitchell Robinson C

Immanuel Quickley PG
Derrick Rose SG
Alec Burks SF
Obi Toppin PF
Nerlens Noel C

That is one damn fine roster, a team that can probably win a playoff series and maybe attract some bigger stars to want to play for the Knicks.

Making a Deal for Lonzo Ball

The Knicks can take on some salary, but ideally, you try to match salaries, and in this case, the Knicks and Pelicans do:

Knicks receive: Lonzo Ball PG
Pelicans receive: Frank Ntilkina PG, Kevin Knox SF, and a 2021 2nd Round Pick

This would give the Pelicans a younger PG than Ball in Ntilkina (especially since he’s played well lately), a decent shooter in Knox who’s only 21, and a 2nd round pick as well. For Lonzo Ball, I feel like that’s pretty fair. The Pelicans get two young project players, and the Knicks get their answer at PG, but what about Elfird Payton’s playing time? Simple: you trade him. Lonzo Ball is a much better player for this team.

Rumors: New York Knicks targeting Lonzo Ball in potential trade

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New York Knicks, Lonzo Ball

The New York Knicks have started the 2021 season in inspiring fashion, currently sitting with a 7-8 record, good for 4th in the Atlantic Division. While they lost five consecutive games just over a week ago, they have won back to back games against the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, showing stellar defense and holding both teams to under 85 points.

Thanks to incredible performances by Julius Randle, who is averaging 22.8 points per game, and the elevation of RJ Barrett in his second year, who is averaging 17.1 points per game, the Knicks have managed to escape a few close victories. Against the Magic, they blew a significant lead in the fourth quarter, just barely edging out the game in the waning moments.

Nonetheless, the Knicks are playing superior basketball thanks to new head coach Tom Thibodeau, who focuses on aggressive defense and hitting open shots. While the team is playing well at times, they still have a significant weakness at point guard, a position they refuse to address with a high pick or free-agent signing. It is also possible elite level players don’t want to come to the Knicks, based on their recent performances. They were forced to stick with Elfrid Payton for another season on a one-year, $5 million deal.

They did land Immanuel Quickley with the 25th overall selection in the 2021 NBA draft, but he is still developing and might be a better shooting guard than point guard. That is why the Knicks could target Lonzo Ball as a potential trade option.

Reports have indicated that the Knicks are interested in acquiring Ball, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound point guard who currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans. At just 23 years old, he is still extremely fresh and has tons of potential. He’s currently averaging 11.9 points over 32.4 minutes, and while his shooting is a bit erratic at times, he can play solid defense and, with the right coaching, could end up being a stud with New York.

Players with raw talent simply need stellar coaching, and being moved from the Los Angeles Lakers, where the expectations were high, to the Pelicans, his confidence may be lacking.

What it would take for the Knicks to acquire him is a mystery, but he wouldn’t be a cheap acquisition by any means.