David Griffin says Lonzo Ball has made it ‘very determined’ he wants to remain in Original Orleans

Lonzo Ball will remain in Original Orleans for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

Barely.

Ball was one in all the names most discussed leading up to Thursday’s NBA commerce deadline. The likes of the Sixers, Clippers, Nuggets, Hawks and Bulls all had been rumored to be interested in Ball. Chicago emerged as the most serious suitor for Ball in the final 24 hours however no deal came to fruition as Ball will remain in Original Orleans for the final two months of the season.

On Friday, Pelicans govt vp of basketball operations David Griffin addressed the group’s resolution to retain Ball.

“He’s a guy that can finish some spectacular things,” he said. “What we’ve considered him finish is be as onerous a worker as now we accept as true with got, pork up his shooting as worthy as that you just would be able to, be diligent in the weight room. He loves his teammates. He’s made it very determined individually, 1-to-1, that he wants to be here. And yet, what you might perhaps per chance perhaps read ‘Here is a participant who doesn’t need to be here. He’s clearly no longer in our plans so that you just might perhaps per chance perhaps well additionally merely serene commerce him for a ham sandwich.’ Correctly, that doesn’t win any sense when we know the real real story behind Lonzo Ball.”

That Ball wants to remain in Original Orleans is no longer recent, even though is serene noteworthy. Earlier in March, Ball said he wished to be a portion of the Pelicans younger core and future alongside Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson by remaining in Original Orleans long-length of time. Final yr, Griffin himself said that Ball and Ingram both expressed to him that they wished to be in Original Orleans long-length of time.

On the other hand, Griffin also looked to indicate on Friday that the group hadn’t spent worthy of the remaining two weeks overtly shopping Ball on the market with each and every intention of trading him if their tag was met. Griffin oddly pointed out how polarizing Ball is as a participant and discussed leaks to the media when discussing the group shopping Ball.

“Lonzo is one in all the most extremely-scrutinized avid gamers I’ve ever considered,” Griffin said. “He has the most polarizing fable around him that I’ve ever dealt with prior to. He’s either the finest participant in the NBA or the worst participant that’s ever played and apparently there’s no in-between. It’s been unfair to Lonzo the whole time. What’s also been unfair to Lonzo, and admittedly I think all individuals wishes to think about this giant image-clever, the noise around the sport is so rather more vital now than it’s ever been. The lack of truth in what that you just would be able to read and what is related is overwhelming.

“So, quite a wide variety of the things that’s came about with Lonzo accept as true with came about because Lonzo’s no longer a vocal guy that’s going to read something online and instantly accept as true with to merely that,” he continued. “He’s no longer somebody that’s going to stroll in front of you and whisk ‘That’s absolute [expletive]. I don’t imagine x, y, z.’ Because of that’s no longer who he is. Nevertheless, quite on the whole, that’s what happens and I think that you just would be able to hear quite a wide variety of that out there, too, anecdotally around Lonzo because he’s a fascinating participant.

“I’d correct inform you,” Griffin added, “be in truth, in truth careful of the things you read and most things which can additionally likely be in print are in print because somebody stands to gain by putting them that attain and by leaking those stories. For without reference to aim, Lonzo ends up the whirlwind of more of that than most.”

In this case, the “for without reference to aim” is because the Pelicans spent weeks shopping Ball despite him flourishing this season with the two pieces of the Pelicans future in Ingram and Williamson. When those three share the court this season, the Pelicans accept as true with a win rating of plus-1.6, an enchancment of their overall win rating of correct plus-0.2 on the yr.

In truth, in line with progressed numbers, Ball has been the Most mighty Pelican this season. When he’s on the court, the Pelicans accept as true with a win rating of plus-2.0. When he’s off the court, that rating plummets to minus-3.9. No participant has a more in-depth win rating on the court and no participant has a worse win rating off the court. The Pelicans accept as true with largely gone as Ball has gone this season.

Ball has came across a franchise and a aim where he is flourishing. He wants to remain in Original Orleans long-length of time despite the group overtly shopping him. He’ll win his wish at the very least for the next two-plus months prior to heading into restricted free agency when it all begins again.