It contractually makes sense for the Suns to target Lonzo Ball
By Adam Maynes
If somehow the Phoenix Suns can be in a position to acquire Lonzo Ball from the Los Angeles Lakers, it contractually makes perfect sense for Phoenix.
The Los Angeles Lakers may be on the verge of artificially piecing together a super team with the potential acquisitions of Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Paul George. Should this nightmare become reality, the Lakers will need to pass on some of their younger, talented players who are either redundant, or who will cost too much and might prevent that new big three from coming together as one.
The situation is that simple, and Lonzo Ball is one of those players most often spoken of as a potential key piece that might have to move to make it all work.
Should Ball need to be traded, the Phoenix Suns might be in the perfect position to acquire him as he fits the mold of the kind of player that General Manager Ryan McDonough has stated that he wants to acquire: stars who are young and who are under controllable, affordable contracts.
Essentially, a star player still on a rookie contract.
The definition of “star” is loosely used here as Lonzo is only considered one because of his abstract and annoying father, and because he is currently a member of the Lakers. Place him in Memphis with the last name Griswold, and his early career would be much less noticeable.
However, last season wasn’t terrible for Lonzo (it’s hard to scoff at 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists from a rookie, regardless of his shooting percentage), but to argue that his stats are worthy of the title “star” already is certainly up for debate.
That said, Ball does have that “it” factor. He is also a point guard – a position of need for Phoenix – and he is still under a controllable contract for the next three seasons.
Drafted two spots ahead of Josh Jackson in 2017, the 20-year-old’s rookie contact will not expire until 2020-21. This is important for several reasons:
For starters, if Lonzo doesn’t work out in Phoenix, his deal gives Phoenix two team options, the first coming after this coming season, the summer of 2019, with a second in 2020. The Suns will only have this coming season before they get to make their first decision on his future. Having this option is a tremendously important asset to Phoenix as Lonzo would be coming in with LaVar Ball-sized baggage. Having the chance to terminate the relationship early and move on without destroying what they have been building might make acquiring him more palatable to many who question the logic of ever targeting him.
Moreover, even if they do pick up his first and second options, they will still not be married to him long-term and by as early as 2020, will be able to move on from him the way the Orlando Magic did with Elfrid Payton, shipping him off without ever extending him and killing themselves under the cap while riding his potentially sinking ship.
With that control, even if he and the Suns do not decide upon or agree to an extension while he is still a restricted free agent in 2021, he will almost undoubtedly still receive a qualifying offer from Phoenix to guarantee their right to either match another team’s contract offer or work out a sign-and-trade to acquire compensation.
For those worried about the complications in regards to his Father, I would argue that the patriarch Ball will continue to be less and less of a problem for franchise’s as Lonzo gets older as his age and stardom in the league will dictate his career and not LaVar. Of course with LaVar you never know, and if the Ball relationship does prove to be a disaster, then the Suns might want to move on from Lonzo at some point, something they easily could do before too long.
If he does work out though; if Lonzo is talented enough and helps guide the Suns to victories; if LaVar doesn’t attempt to burn the locker room down, then Lonzo will be under contract for a minimum of three seasons, on a rookie contract, which is very affordable and entirely under Phoenix’s control.
Unlike the franchise’s current attempt to find a point guard in free agency – Fred VanVleet, anyone? – Lonzo’s first extension, like Devin Booker‘s, Josh Jackson’s, Deandre Ayton‘s, et al., will be relatively small and affordable and not bank-breaking. Phoenix will have the ability to extend the (hopefully) good times with a Lonzo/Booker backcourt for years into the future, without having to overpay just to drag a point guard here.
In the long-term then, if it really works out and the Suns are regular playoff participants – if not championship contenders – Phoenix won’t be paying exorbitant contracts for anyone until the summer of 2024 when Devin Booker would sign his second extension, with Jackson and Lonzo following behind two years later.
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With up to seven potential former lottery picks all jumping from affordable rookie contracts to veteran extensions in the next five years, – Book, Ball, Jackson, Ayton, Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, and Mikal Bridges – the salary cap will fill up slowly but surely, leaving less and less room for star acquisitions.
Lonzo Ball, though, has the ability to be a star, and should the Suns have the opportunity to acquire him, they’ll do so by snagging a player on a controllable rookie deal with Phoenix holding all the options. Lonzo Ball on the Phoenix Suns could work.