Report: Warriors Looking To Add Lonzo Ball Via Buyout Market
Feb 9, 2026
Though the trade deadline has come and gone, NBA teams have another way to add a piece or two: the buyout market. Up until the playoffs start, teams can scoop up players who have been released by other ball clubs.
It’s unlikely that a top-tier superstar would be available on this market, but still, teams can improve their depth by going this route. In the case of the Golden State Warriors, whose trade moves fell a bit flat this past week, a veteran point guard appears to be on their radar.
According to Jake Fischer, the Warriors are targeting Lonzo Ball, who was waived last week by the Utah Jazz after he got traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ball, who turned 28 last October, adds both youth and size to the Warriors’ point guard position, which remains capably manned by 37-year-old Steph Curry. Still, his track record brings its fair share of question marks to a Warriors team that is on track for another play-in appearance.
Back in the 2017 NBA Draft, the eldest of the Ball brothers was taken second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. Though he made the All-Rookie Second Team that season, Ball struggled to live up to the hype in subsequent years. When the Lakers saw an opening to acquire Anthony Davis from the Pelicans, Ball was lumped into the package sent to the Pelicans. He continued to post solid numbers with his new team, but he never quite built a case for All-Star consideration.
To date, the 6-foot-5 point guard has not played three seasons with a single team in his career. The biggest red flag in Ball’s NBA stint, of course, is the two full seasons that he missed due to major knee issues.
It’s no surprise, then, that teams are reportedly asking to take a closer look at Ball’s medical records as they contemplate signing him. His injury history, along with subpar stints with the Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls, has significantly hurt his stock and potentially jeopardized his NBA career.
If the Warriors (who missed out on Giannis Antetokounmpo during the trade deadline) decide to pick up Ball from the buyout market, they might soon find out that the cons outweigh the pros.
