Warriors Eye Lonzo Ball After Bucks Snag Cam Thomas
With the trade deadline in the rearview, the Golden State Warriors are surveying their options-and one name is starting to stand out: Lonzo Ball.
The Warriors’ path to Ball may have cleared up significantly after the Milwaukee Bucks swooped in to sign Cam Thomas, one of the more intriguing scoring guards available. Thomas, 24, had been waived by the Brooklyn Nets after the deadline, a surprising move given his recent production. While he was never directly tied to the Warriors, his offensive punch-especially on a roster missing Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler-had fans and analysts wondering if he could be a fit in Golden State.
Thomas is coming off a season where he averaged 24 points and 3.8 assists while shooting a career-best 43.9% from beyond the arc. That kind of scoring efficiency doesn’t often hit the open market, and Milwaukee didn’t hesitate. His agent confirmed the deal Sunday, effectively taking one high-octane guard off the board.
With Thomas heading to Milwaukee, the Warriors’ attention appears to be shifting toward Lonzo Ball. Ball’s journey this season has been turbulent-traded by the Cavaliers and then waived by the Jazz before the deadline-but he’s still viewed as a valuable piece by teams looking to solidify their backcourt depth.
Golden State reportedly has interest, with NBA insider Jake Fischer noting over the weekend that the team is seriously considering Ball, pending a medical evaluation. The Denver Nuggets have also shown interest, but the Warriors may be the more natural fit stylistically.
Ball’s numbers this season don’t leap off the page-he averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 35 games with Cleveland. His shooting has been a concern, hitting just 30.1% from the field and 20.2% from deep.
But raw stats don’t always tell the full story. Ball’s defensive instincts, court vision, and unselfish play align well with the Warriors’ system under Steve Kerr.
He’s not a volume scorer like Thomas, but he’s a connective tissue kind of player-someone who makes the game easier for stars around him.
There’s also the question of roster space. Golden State recently converted Pat Spencer from a two-way contract to a standard deal, but they still have one roster spot open after moving Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis at the deadline. Technically, they could finish the season with 14 players, but given the current injury list-including both Curry brothers and Butler-it’s more likely they’ll fill that final spot.
Haywood Highsmith, a former teammate of Butler’s in Miami, remains another name floating around, but Ball seems to be the frontrunner. The Warriors are clearly looking for someone who can contribute without needing the ball in his hands constantly, and Ball fits that bill.
If the medical checks out and the fit feels right, don’t be surprised to see Lonzo Ball donning a Warriors jersey soon. It might not be the flashiest move of the post-deadline shuffle, but it could be one of the more quietly impactful ones-especially for a team that still believes it can make noise in the West.