NBA Rumors: Indiana Pacers a "dark horse" for Lonzo Ball in free agency
After suffering through a season plagued by only 34 wins and 38 losses, the Indiana Pacers, if the NBA trade rumors are to be believed, want to acquire Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans. As per the rumored reports, the management in Indiana is eager to bring in a point guard.
Their best hope is Kyle Lowry, but if things don't work out, the Indiana Pacers are also looking into a swap between Malcolm Bragdon and Lonzo ball. According to John Hollinger, this is something the league should be paying attention to at the moment. John Hollinger, while writing for the Athletic claimed:
Speaking of which, the Pacers are a dark horse in the Lonzo Ball sweepstakes if the Pelicans miss out on Lowry, as they could tempt New Orleans with a Brogdon-Ball swap. Brogdon’s name has bubbled up at other points in the last few weeks as well; keep an eye on this.
NBA trade rumors: Indiana Pacers in the race to acquire Lonzo Ball
The 23-year-old star is, at the moment, a restricted free agent. Last season, Lonzo averaged 14.6 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while playing with the New Orleans Pelicans alongside his teammate Zion Williamson. His performance wasn't exceptional by any means but it was a commendable season nevertheless.
Coming off a 31-41 season, the team in New Orleans is looking for a player that can help them score and also improve their scoring ability. Malcolm Brogdon, who averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.3 rebounds for the Indiana Pacers last season, is a tailored fit for them. Brogdon posted 86.4% free throws in 2020-21 regular season as compared to Lonzo's 78.1%.
Lonzo, the oldest of the Ball brothers, had his best season yet last year. His game has improved since his LA Lakers days. From the viewpoint of the Indiana Pacers, Lonzo Ball is now a much more reliable player on defense and offense. His ability to feed big players on pick and roll and fast breaks or finish himself make him a good player to have on your offensive line.
The reason the Indiana Pacers might trade for him is because he is really young and improving still. Pacers being in their team building phase can properly use an injury-free Lonzo Ball as their point guard.