5 Teams that could improve by adding Lonzo Ball | NBA Free Agency 2021

#3 Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry is barely keeping the Golden State Warriors afloat in the 2020-21 NBA season

The Golden State Warriors have found it difficult in the absence of Klay Thompson, who has served as a brilliant off-the-ball option at the 2-wing spots for years. Kelly Oubre Jr., his replacement, has been underwhelming, making just 30% of his attempts from deep.

The Warriors can replace Oubre Jr. with Lonzo Ball, a more consistent option to have alongside Stephen Curry. The 2-time MVP has the experience of playing off-ball, meaning Steve Kerr can hand the keys of the offense to Ball and let Curry play as a scorer, a role in which he has thrived this campaign.

#2 Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets were active at the NBA Trade Deadline

The Denver Nuggets have done some smart business lately, adding the likes of Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee to an already stacked roster. But there is still one piece missing from the setup: the presence of a defensive-minded guard who can slot in with Jamal Murray in the starting 5.

Will Barton has played that role so far, but he prefers to operate as a forward, making Ball a much better fit. The Nuggets' offense runs through Nikola Jokic, and Lonzo Ball can deputize for him in a similar capacity if the Serbian decides to take a back seat during games. Ball won't meddle with the Denver Nuggets' spacing either, making him a must-have player for last year's Western Conference finalists.

#1 LA Clippers

The LA Clippers added Rajon Rondo but could still use a point guard

There was a lot of talk about the Clippers looking to add a point guard, which culminated with Tyronn Lue opting to trade 3-time Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams for championship-winning veteran guard Rajon Rondo.

Rondo was part of the LA Lakers team that won the 2020 NBA Championship and is known to elevate his game during the postseason. But he is on an expensive 2-year, $15 million per year deal, which could complicate things for Lawrence Frank.

The LA Clippers can replace Rajon Rondo with Lonzo Ball, who is a younger option and has shown active hands on defense throughout his career. The New Orleans Pelicans guard could share the playmaking load with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Ball has impressed this season, and the LA Clippers have the potential to be a much better team with him in the lineup.