March 1 was the deadline for contending franchises to bolster their rosters via buyout ahead of the upcoming postseason.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball was regarded as the Golden State Warriors’ top buyout target, but the franchise ultimately elected not to sign the former lottery pick this season.
Thanks to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, we now know the real reason the Warriors didn't pair Stephen Curry with Ball in the Bay.
"When Lonzo Ball was traded to the Utah Jazz (from the Cavaliers) and immediately waived upon arrival, several teams in playoff position began gathering his medical information and contacting him,” Siegel wrote last Friday.
“The Golden State Warriors held strong interest in Ball, as did the (Denver) Nuggets. However, no deal ever materialized for Ball with the Warriors or Nuggets due to concerns both organizations had with his overall knee health.”
The Warriors were wise to stay away from Ball despite being intrigued by the UCLA product’s skill set. Ball is a competent on-ball defender who’s still a decent playmaker/distributor. However, the 28-year-old’s persistent lower-body injuries have derailed his career thus far.
The last thing the Warriors need moving forward is another injury-prone contributor who’s as unreliable as it gets at this stage of his career. Simply put, Golden State comprehended they didn’t have a clear incentive to sign Ball and acted accordingly.
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