Lonzo Ball is expected to be one of the most coveted free agents this summer as he enters an important offseason for his career.
Ball will be a restricted free agent and the Pelicans will have the chance to match any offer for him. However, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, sources believe that LaVar Ball want his son to play on a bigger market.
Per Berman:
“Ball, the No. 2 pick of the 2017 draft, is a restricted free agent, but the [New Orleans] Pelicans might not match an offer sheet that starts at $19 million.
Making Zion Williamson happy is their top priority, though, and it’s been reported they like playing together. Ball is a pass-first point guard the Knicks need, and he improved his 3-point shooting (37.8 percent) but has never performed against a playoff defense.
[Knicks president] Leon Rose knows Lavar from their past when CAA repped the Balls. The father’s eccentricities are not an issue. Sources believe Lavar, a former Jets tight end on the practice squad, wants all his sons on Broadway, and the Knicks are on Lonzo’s radar.”
It’s still unclear if the Knicks will be able to lure Ball away. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the projected salary cap for the 2021-22 season at $112 million with the tax threshold at $136.6 million.
