As the NBA buyout market heats up in the wake of the trade deadline, one name is drawing serious interest from contenders out West: Lonzo Ball. The 28-year-old guard has officially hit the open market after being dealt from Cleveland to Utah and subsequently waived by the Jazz. Now, two playoff hopefuls-the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors-are emerging as frontrunners to land the veteran playmaker.
Let’s be clear: Ball’s numbers this season don’t exactly leap off the page. In 35 games with the Cavaliers, he averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in just over 20 minutes per game.
He shot just 31% from the field, a figure that underscores his ongoing struggles to find an offensive rhythm. But if you stop at the box score, you’re missing the bigger picture.
Ball’s value has always been about more than just scoring. When healthy, he’s a high-IQ floor general with sharp defensive instincts and a knack for keeping the ball moving. He’s the kind of player who can stabilize a second unit, set the tempo, and make the connective plays that don’t always show up in stat sheets but are crucial to winning basketball.
That’s exactly what both Denver and Golden State are looking for.
The Nuggets, fresh off a title run and in the thick of another push, have an open roster spot and a need for backcourt depth. But there’s a catch: minutes are tight in Denver. With Nikola Jokic anchoring the offense and a roster built around spacing and shooting, Ball’s shooting woes could limit his fit-especially in high-leverage playoff situations where floor spacing becomes non-negotiable.
Golden State, on the other hand, might be a more natural landing spot. The Warriors still have an open roster slot following the trade deadline and are dealing with injuries across their backcourt. Stephen Curry is managing knee issues, and Jimmy Butler is out for the season, leaving Golden State in need of a steady hand who can defend, distribute, and push the pace.
That’s where Ball could carve out a real role. League chatter suggests the Warriors are doing their homework, including medical evaluations, as they weigh a potential signing. And for Ball, a California native, the fit makes sense on multiple levels-geographically, stylistically, and situationally.
Denver remains in the mix, but Golden State appears to offer a clearer path to playing time and a more defined role. With the Warriors recalibrating expectations amid injuries and roster turnover, they’re in a position to take a low-risk swing on a player who, if he can stay healthy, still brings plenty to the table.
Ball’s stint in Cleveland was as much about context as it was performance. The Cavs were in win-now mode and didn’t have the luxury of patience.
After multiple seasons lost to knee injuries, Ball needed time to find his rhythm-but that time never came. In Golden State, the circumstances are different.
The pressure is still there, but so is the flexibility to experiment.
As the buyout market continues to evolve, Lonzo Ball remains one of the more intriguing options available-not because of what he’s done lately, but because of what he still might be able to do in the right situation. And right now, Golden State looks like the team best positioned to find out.