Lonzo Ball Says He'd 'Love' to Return to Pelicans in 2021 NBA Free Agency

Pending free agent Lonzo Ball told reporters Monday that he'd be open to returning to the New Orleans Pelicans next season.

"Obviously, I would love to be back," he said. "You know, I've built a good bond here with the coaches and the teammates that are here."

Ball, 23, will be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Pelicans could simply choose to match any offer sheet he signs and keep him on the team. The bigger question for New Orleans will be whether it thinks he fits into the organization's long-term plans alongside Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. 

Or whether the team would be willing to pay the high price to keep him.

The young point guard is coming off an excellent 2020-21 season, setting career highs in scoring (14.6 points per game), field-goal percentage (41.4) and three-point shooting (37.8 percent) while adding 4.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. 

Always a strong defender and a threat in transition, Ball took solid strides as a half-court scorer this season. 

While his name made the rounds ahead of the NBA trade deadline on March 25, he stayed put. But SNY's Ian Begley reported in March that the New York Knicks would have "renewed interest" in landing Ball this offseason.

And Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that same month that the Knicks "would be heavily on Ball’s radar as a restricted free agent."

So the Knicks are a team to keep an eye on in the Ball sweepstakes. But if he remains in New Orleans, it sounds like a fate he'd happily accept.