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Following Monday’s trade of Jrue Holiday, the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves with a host of draft picks and assets that could make virtually any trade desired achievable. Paired with previous reports that the Pelicans have a desire to trade up in the draft and a host of high-profile moves become possible.
Naturally, given that the team currently rosters his older brother Lonzo, LaMelo Ball will be a name thrown around for any team looking to trade up. Despite netting Eric Bledsoe and George Hill in the Holiday trade, the Pelicans could still desire a long-term solution in the backcourt and there may be no better option to pair with Lonzo than LaMelo.
If the Pelicans were to make a move for him, LaMelo already knows that he and Lonzo would thrive together.
“It’d be a great fit,” Ball said over Zoom in his predraft interview on Monday. “I’ve played with Zo almost my whole life. He knows me, I know him. Obviously, I feel the fit would be perfect.”
On paper, LaMelo and Lonzo complement each other well, not surprisingly. LaMelo’s deficiencies on the defensive end can be masked by Lonzo’s above average defense. Likewise, Lonzo’s struggles as a half-court creator on the offensive end can be masked by LaMelo’s playmaking.
There would be many, many hurdles the Pelicans would have to overcome to be in a position to draft LaMelo. Even if the team wouldn’t need to trade up to the No. 1 pick if the Timberwolves take Anthony Edwards, they would almost certainly need to work out a trade with the Warriors at the No. 2 spot.
The Holiday trade gave them some interesting pieces to potentially move on this summer in Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. Both are experienced lead guards that will be coveted by contenders. Some combination of their current draft picks and one of those guards could be enough to move up to the second spot.
If the Pelicans are able to pair the Ball brothers in New Orleans, it would surely create one of the more intriguing and exciting backcourts in some time.
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