The New Orleans Pelicans wrapped up their season on the court on Sunday with a loss to the Lakers before wrapping it up off the court with exit interviews with the front office, coaching staff and media on Monday.
For Lonzo Ball, the questioning naturally drifted to his impending free agency. With Ball set to become a restricted free agent, whether he returns to New Orleans won’t entirely be in his hands. However, Ball expressed a desire to remain with the Pelicans long-term.
“Obviously, I would love to be back (in New Orleans),” he said. “I feel a good bond here with the coaches and the teammates that are here so I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back at all.”
Ball said he hadn’t yet thought about free agency with his focus on finishing the season. That season came with ups and downs on and off the court, including being in the center of trade rumors in the week leading up to the trade deadline.
Ball remained unphased and played some of the best basketball of his career after the deadline. On Monday, he joked about whether those rumors impacted him this season.
“I’ve been in trade rumors my whole career so at this point,” he said with a laugh. “It’s really nothing to me. It’s just another day.”
After the deadline, Ball stated that he was happy to remain in New Orleans, one of the many times he’s made that known in his two years with the franchise. As the team heads into an offseason where lots of changes will be made following a disappointing season, Ball’s future with the franchise will be one of the key decisions to be made.
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