NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks to contest for Lonzo Ball's signature in free agency

The Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks are expected to approach Lonzo Ball in restricted free agency as per the latest NBA rumors. Both teams were in talks with the New Orleans Pelicans regarding Ball ahead of the trade deadline, but a deal never materialized.

Given the Pelicans' reluctance to hand Lonzo Ball a contract extension, it's unlikely they'll bring him back next season. As per Marc Berman of the NY Post, the New York Knicks could be in the running for Ball if he's on the move with the Chicago Bulls not far behind. Berman wrote:

"Though the Knicks made a very light push for Ball at the March 25 trade deadline, the Bulls did a lot more of the talking with Pelicans general manager David Griffin. If Ball were to leave, Chicago would be the Knicks’ top competitor, according to sources."

Lonzo Ball has turned around what was increasingly looking like a disastrous campaign and is averaging 14.5 points on 38.4% shooting from downtown, both career-highs. Ball's defense, three-point shooting and playmaking ability make him a perfect fit for both the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls.

Asked whether it's a point of pride to have made changes in his shot mechanics to get better results, Lonzo Ball said, "I mean, this is my job. We're paid to get in the gym. I came in, and my shot wasn't working. All the credit goes to Fred (Vinson). You see the work paying off."

— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim_Eichenhofer) April 5, 2021

Lonzo Ball is expected to command a salary of around $20 million annually, a number that could be infeasible for the New Orleans Pelicans. This is where the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls come into play, as both teams are projected to have cap space next season.

NBA Rumors: Both Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks have the assets to acquire Lonzo Ball via sign-and-trade

Who'll win the Lonzo Ball sweepstakes?

Even though the New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely to keep hold of Lonzo Ball for the long haul, they'll still be looking to recoup some assets for him. The Pelicans have the ability to match any offer sheet that's handed to Ball, so they're likely to sign-and-trade him to the highest bidder.

The New York Knicks are better poised to execute a deal for Lonzo Ball. They have multiple first-round picks for the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft. They'll also have the cap space to absorb Ball's contract wholly without sending back any salary, which may be of the essence to the Pelicans.

🔥 Career-high 8 threes for @ZO2_ 🔥 27 PTS, 9 AST, 3 STLShooting, playmaking and defense from Lonzo Ball in the @PelicansNBA win! pic.twitter.com/gyk2ERSRaV

— NBA (@NBA) April 5, 2021

The Chicago Bulls also have control of their picks from 2022 onwards. This is obviously less enticing than what the Knicks have to offer. But if the Bulls were to add useful players to the deal, they could be in with a solid chance of landing Lonzo Ball.

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