Desperate playoff contender should thank Jazz for Lonzo Ball’s selfless donation

It wasn’t that long ago that someone floated the idea of ​​the Utah Jazz acquiring Lonzo Ball as a buy-low candidate. Even after that, things seemed to get better when Cleveland actually acquired Dennis Schroder to take over Ball’s role. Well, the Jazz did it, but not for basketball reasons.

After ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the trade, he also confirmed that Utah will part with Ball.

While the Jazz need more defense, they are still very tanking despite the acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr. recently. If Ball were to work out, it could be a problem for Utah as it could lead to them playing well enough to lose their pick to Oklahoma City.

Utah will likely go after more defense-oriented personnel, but due to timing, adding someone like Ball would be something they would do this summer, but not right now. He has earned the right to be given another chance, but he is best served elsewhere.

Ball could be a low-risk, high-reward midseason addition

There’s a reason Ball is being dumped first via trade and then via buyout: he hasn’t had a good season in Cleveland. Averaged 4.6 points, four rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 30.1% from the field and 27.2% from three. Those are paltry numbers compared to what Ball used to put up, even if he never exactly played at an All-Star level.

However, he has still shown that he can drop some dimes while playing good defense. If he can just get his shooting percentages up a bit, it could work out amazingly for his next team. Cleveland has their act together somewhat, but a case can be made that Ball was just a poor fit for their roster and what they wanted him to do.

Ball is still an oversized point guard who has quickly shown that he is a game-changer when he is on the floor. His tenure with the Cavaliers was a disaster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over for him. All he needs is the right situation. If Utah wasn’t tanking right now, or if it was currently September, he would be perfect for them.

This is also his healthiest season since his days with the New Orleans Pelicans, meaning he isn’t as much of an injury risk as he has been in the past. Add to that the fact that he can be had for pennies on the dollar, and it’s pretty clear he’ll have some appeal if he clears waivers.

This is all hypothetical, but if Ball turns out to be a team’s missing piece, his next team will have the Jazz to thank for their luck.