LaMelo Ball to the Raptors?

By: Adamo Marinelli

May 8th, 2020

     Even though the NBA season has been indefinitely suspended, trade talks around the league sure haven’t stopped. 

     LaMelo Ball is arguably the top draft prospect in the 2020 draft, at the very least a top-3 prospect. He is a purebred playmaker, has good size, and undeniable flair. He is a great transition player and can become an elite guard. However, he is a bit of a project for whichever team takes a chance on him. His shooting struggles are apparent, and he needs to be efficient from beyond the 3 point line to make his passing game excel in half-court play. On defense, he appears to be uninterested but his size can help improve his defensive game. 

     The Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State Warriors have apparently been involved in trade talks involving key assets like Kyle Lowry and Ben Simmons. 

     According to a tweet from Rashaad Phillips, the Raptors will trade Kyle Lowry to the 76ers, who will trade Simmons to the Warriors. In return, the Raptors will move up the draft board to select Ball with the Warriors’ lottery pick. 

     At first glance, it doesn’t appear to be worth giving up Lowry to acquire Ball. Lowry is the cornerstone of the Raptors franchise and is the 2nd longest-tenured Raptor behind Demar Derozan. However, Lowry is 34 years old and only has a few years of productive basketball in front of him. Trading him to acquire Ball will give the Raptors excellent depth at point guard. Fred Van Vleet will start and Ball will sit behind Van Vleet while developing. This will solidify the Raptors as contenders in the East for years to come.

     The 76ers will also benefit from the deal as well. Getting a prolific scorer and playmaker like Lowry will help them add to an already talented roster consisting of Joel Embiid, Al Horford, and Tobias Harris among others. With the added roster depth, the 76ers address one of their biggest needs: perimeter shooting - Lowry excels at making three-pointers - and can attempt to make a run to contend for a championship in the near future.

     The Warriors, in return for giving up their pick, will acquire another talented young player that will pair well with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Even after a horrific 2019-20 season riddled with injuries and losses, the Warriors could be right back in the discussion for who will win the Western Conference. 

     At this time, we are unsure if this trade will happen, but if it does, it will shake-up the league as we know it. It seems to work for all three sides but only time will tell if this deal gets done.