Report: Lonzo Ball, Kelly Oubre trade discussed; Bulls also possibility for Ball
Lonzo Ball, not surprisingly, may have multiple suitors if he hits the trade market this season. On Monday’s Brian Windhorst & the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst revealed some more rumors on Ball’s future. On top of a rumored deal that had been reported previously, Windhorst revealed another team that could show interest.
“There’s also been rumors about a Kelly Oubre-Lonzo Ball trade. I mean, that’s not secret. That’s sort of been out there. I see it from Golden State’s perspective. It’s been interesting to see if that develops. The Pelicans have struggled, especially defensively, and there’s some belief – not some belief. They’ve shopped their guards. They’ve shopped Bledsoe, Lonzo and Redick.
One of the places that, in addition to Golden State that you think of Lonzo, one of the places that you think of Lonzo as a possibility…that I’ve heard out there would be Chicago, if Chicago might have interest there. But we’ll see about that. Lonzo just had a spectacular game on Saturday, one of the best games he’s had this year, if not the best. It’d be an interesting time to trade him.”
The Kelly Oubre-Lonzo Ball rumors started in the same report from Shams Charania of The Athletic that Ball had been shopped. At the bottom of his report was a nugget about the Pelicans and Warriors had discussed an Oubre deal. Considering the top of the article discussed Ball and JJ Redick being shopped, connecting the dots makes sense.
As for the Bulls, dating back to the 2020 NBA Draft, Chicago has been in search of a point guard to pair with Zach LaVine long-term. On paper, Ball would fill that need if the team is both willing to pay him this upcoming offseason as Ball is set for restricted free agency and Chicago is willing to give up assets for him now.
All this being said, strong performances from Ball over the last week likely will be trade talks on hold for the coming days and weeks, as Windhorst noted.
