NBA Trade Rumors: Making a case for and against Denver Nuggets going after Lonzo Ball

Lonzo Ball has been a major talking point in the latest NBA trade rumors reports, with several teams registering interest in signing the New Orleans Pelicans playmaker.

The Atlanta Hawks are a prominent contender to acquire Lonzo Ball, but a recent update suggests that the Denver Nuggets have emerged as dark horse candidates to land the former LA Lakers point guard.

In this article, we will make a case for and against the Denver Nuggets making a swoop for Lonzo Ball with the NBA trade deadline right around the corner.

NBA Trade Rumors: Should the Denver Nuggets make a run for Lonzo Ball?

New Orleans Pelicans v Portland Trail Blazers

The Denver Nuggets are known to play a tall, physical starting lineup, with only Jamal Murray playing as an out-and-out guard. However, Murray is more of a scorer as the playmaking duties are helmed by star center Nikola Jokic.

Hence, the Nuggets are now looking to add a secondary playmaker, a role which Lonzo Ball can play quite well.

The Nuggets have offered Bol Bol in a package for Lonzo Ball 👀More NBA rumors from B/R’s @JakeLFischer ahead of Thursday’s deadline: https://t.co/uxayz7tJaj pic.twitter.com/hgDYuGZKTc

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) March 23, 2021

Lonzo Ball has been effective as the New Orleans Pelicans' starting point guard despite sharing the ball with forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

Ball has a healthy assist-to-turnover ratio in the 2020/21 campaign, dishing out 5.6 assists while turning the ball over just twice.

Ball has also been an above-average perimeter defender this season, giving scoring guards a tough time. He has improved his three-point shooting since moving to the New Orleans Pelicans as well, making 38.5% of his attempts from downtown.

All these attributes make Lonzo Ball a well-rounded piece to have on a contending team, and the Denver Nuggets are just that.

"I hope he gets traded. . . He can't stand New Orleans."- LaVar Ball on Lonzo Ball (h/t @ClutchPointsApp ) pic.twitter.com/e2mn8XE6Mj

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) March 18, 2021

But there are many persistent issues with Lonzo Ball that might discourage the Denver Nuggets from pulling the trigger on him, despite what the NBA trade rumors suggest.

He still hasn't improved as a scorer, averaging just 14 points per game up to this point. He is quite passive in the paint offensively, which makes him a liability on the scoring front.

His consistency has been questionable too, as he has only started performing well in the period leading up to the NBA deadline.

His form was unsatisfactory last season and even at the beginning of the current campaign, a major red flag for the Denver Nuggets management.

Another con that comes with Lonzo Ball is the drama surrounding him, mostly instigated by his father LaVar Ball. The Nuggets are a sensible organization known for making pragmatic decisions, and they would certainly think twice before signing such a player.