Golden State Warriors: 3 Backup point guards to target

Golden State Warriors’ targets: Lonzo Ball (Trade)

Things have changed since it was reported the New Orleans Pelicans were actively listening to offers for Lonzo Ball. The team is starting to find success with young stars like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but Ball himself has improved as well.

Ball’s major flaw was his lack of a 3-point shot. Now, he’s shooting better than ever before and continues to look better each game as his confidence snowballs. Since January 29, Ball is hitting above 45 percent of his eight 3-point attempts per game. This is better than notable scorers such as Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell on more (or roughly the same) number of attempts.

This doesn’t make Ball an elite scorer but it is an encouraging sign. He’s already a great playmaker and sound defender – becoming a good shooter is all that’s missing from his game. At 23-years of age, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about his recent play.

The downside, of course, is this means New Orleans will be more reluctant to trade him. While his contract isn’t too high for the Warriors to match, it would require giving up a valuable asset in Kelly Oubre Jr. and potentially more to get Lonzo to Golden State. But, with Klay Thompson set to return to the starting lineup next season, losing Oubre for a reliable backup guard could be the best move long-term for the Warriors.

Still, the cost of trading for Ball could keep the Warriors from pulling the trigger on this deal. Because of this, our next slide makes the most sense, as we will focus on a buyout candidate in George Hill.