Knicks Trade Rumors: 3 reasons Lonzo Ball is a perfect fit

The New York Knicks have been brought up in more than a few trade rumors over the last month. A lot of the names appear to be nothing more than speculation, and it was recently reported that the Knicks are taking a conservative approach to the trade deadline. With that being said, it’s also been reported that the team (and many others) are monitoring the New Orleans Pelicans’ situation with their two of their backcourt players: JJ Reddick and Lonzo Ball.

While Reddick would certainly be a cheap way to add some shooting to the lineup, it’s Lonzo Ball who could potentially take the team to another level. SNY’s Ian Begley said of the Knicks and Ball,

"“On Ball, the idea of adding the young guard has support within the Knicks organization. But Ball can be a restricted free agent this offseason. So any team interested in Ball would have to weigh the value of trading assets to acquire him in-season versus pursuing him in free agency this offseason.”"

While the Knicks’ approach may be tempered, the idea of adding Lonzo is rooted in the fact that he could become a key part of the team’s future – He’d be more than just a rental. A 23-year old point guard whose game would fill a lot of holes on the Knicks’ roster. There is a multitude of reasons as to why the Knicks and Lonzo Ball make a lot of sense, and it starts with his reasonable cost.

Knicks Trade Rumors: Lonzo Ball Is Affordable for the Knicks

The Knicks have more assets than most other NBA teams. Some of those draft picks and young players are held in higher regard than others. There is no doubt that Lonzo Ball has raised his stock since the beginning of the season. He’s averaged 14.3 points and 6.3 assists per game over his last 10 games. Still, it’s unclear if the Pelicans would want to keep him long-term.

The Pelicans took point guard Kira Lewis Jr. with the 13th pick in The 2020 NBA Draft, and they feel like he has the potential to be the team’s point guard of the future. The Pelicans are in a similar position to the Knicks where they’re trying to rebuild around their young talent while simultaneously staying competitive in the playoff race. They’ve got their hands full in the Western Conference.

For New York, they’d be giving up a young player in Frank Ntilikina who has struggled to find a consistent spot in the rotation. Ntilikina has certainly flashed in moments, especially recently with the Knicks’ injuries, but it’s clear the team isn’t ever going to thrust him into a prominent role as the starting point guard.

Giving up a protected first-round selection may seem like a high draft pick, but the Knicks would be investing in a 23-year-old player who is just entering his prime and could have a positive influence on all of the young talent around him.

Lonzo Ball would certainly cost a chunk of change for a contract extension, but it wouldn’t be in the max contract range. A rough estimate of a Lonzo Ball contract extension would be around 3-4 years, 13-17 million per year. The Knicks would be locking up a young point guard whose game has been progressing and hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. Ball would have a positive impact for New York in more ways than one.

Knicks Rumors: Lonzo Ball is a dream fit for the Knicks

The Knicks already made a move to improve their backcourt when they traded for Derrick Rose. While Rose has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the team, New York still has some issues with the amount of playmaking from their guards, specifically the first unit.

The Knicks’ starters have trouble getting fluid ball-movement. They lack someone who can consistently create an easy bucket out of nothing with a precise pass. I’m not talking about a drive and kick, I’m talking about the ability to find an open man by executing a highly skilled pass outside of the playbook – Something Lonzo Ball does every game.

With the ball in his hands, Lonzo Ball can create offense for others. Ball’s 1.05 assist-to-usage rate, a statistic that shows how often a player recorded an assist given how often they had the ball, ranks 12th in the NBA (75th percentile) among all guards (Point guards and combo guards). For reference, the Knicks’ current starter Elfrid Payton’s assist to usage rate ranks 4th worst among all guards, in the 5th percentile.

Not only would Lonzo Ball’s playmaking be important for the team, but his ability to be a threat off-the-ball is something New York doesn’t have with their current starting point guard, and it’s something that will open of the offense for others. There’s a dated misconception that Lonzo Ball isn’t a good 3-point shooter – He’s currently shooting just over 38% from 3 on over 7 attempts per game. He can let it fly.

Clearly, Ball’s offensive game adds a whole new dimension to the starting group. His defense would also fit right in on the perimeter. When Lonzo Ball is on the court as a point guard, opposing teams have just a 50.1% effective field goal percentage. His size (6’6) and quickness have always made him a tough perimeter defender, so adding Ball to the Knicks rotation would only elevate the defense even more.

It’s hard to find reasons as to how Ball would somehow disrupt the Knicks’ chemistry. His player profile is not only a perfect fit for the roster today, but he could be a key component of the team’s future.

Knicks Rumors: Lonzo Ball would be a key part of the Knicks’ future

Looking at where this Knicks team stands now, they’ve got to be happy with their roster and development. It feels like there’s a young core in place with talent and roles at different positions. The core-4 of Quickley, Barrett, Robinson, and Randle each have different games that can potentially complement one another really well.

With Immanuel Quickley, it’s hard not to be excited about his future. Quickley is currently 2nd among all rookies in player efficiency rating, and I don’t think anyone doubts his potential. The biggest question surrounding Quickley is whether or not he’s the team’s point guard of the future.

Quickley is clearly a score-first point guard, which is fine. He’s thrived in his role as a spark-plug off of the bench, and while we certainly would like to see his minutes go up, he seems very comfortable in his current role. So who can take over as the team’s pass-first point guard that is simply there to make his teammates better?

The Knicks have two first-round picks next season. A lot can change from now until the lottery, but those picks will likely be somewhere in the 12-16 and 18-24 range. Will the team simply draft a “True point guard” and plug him right away as a starter? Play him over Quickley? It’s very unlikely.

By adding Lonzo Ball, the team adds a still-ascending talent who can man the starting point guard spot for years to come. Adding Lonzo Ball won’t take away from Quickley, and it won’t hurt anyone’s progress on the team. The Lonzo Ball to Mitchell Robinson alley-oop connection is easy to foresee.

A reasonable cost, an immediate improvement to their current team, and a terrific investment for the future? The Knicks and Lonzo Ball are a perfect match. #ZO2NY