Suns reportedly reached out to Lakers and Pelicans to facilitate Anthony Davis deal, land Lonzo Ball

Less than 48 hours until the NBA trade deadline, rumors will be flying around at record speed. The latest comes to us from Broderick Turner and Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times about Lonzo Ball.

Per Turner and Ganguli, Phoenix reached out to the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans to help facilitate an Anthony Davis trade. The Suns are getting involved in order to land Ball as their starting point guard:

Among the Ball camp’s preferred destinations, Phoenix reciprocates the interest. The Suns have reached out to the Lakers and Pelicans and made clear their interest in joining the trade as a third team, according to a person familiar with their conversations who was not authorized to speak publicly.

After Lonzo’s father, LaVar, went on 98.7 FM twice within the span of three hours on Monday talking about why adding all of the Ball boys around Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton would lead to championships, there is likely smoke to this billowing fire.

New Orleans reportedly declined Los Angeles’ latest offer for Davis, which featured all of the following pieces: Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Ball, Ivica Zubac, two future first-round picks, and salary relief for taking back Solomon Hill’s contract. With Lakers executives Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka feeling the heat leading up to Thursday’s deadline, finding outside help might be their last real chance to possibly convince Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps to accept an offer.

This is where the Suns have stepped up to the plate. The question now is what Vice President of Basketball Operations James Jones and Co. are offering for the Lakers’ gifted playmaker. Most likely, it’s going to take one of the Suns’ young wings (T.J. Warren or Josh Jackson) plus an expiring contract and/or draft capital because Hill would be included with Ball.

Stay glued to Bright Side Of The Sun as we’ll keep you updated as more news breaks around Phoenix’s pursuit of the polarizing 21-year-old point guard.

Update: According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Phoenix could emerge as the third team for Ball, and the price seems to be T.J. Warren plus a young player (most likely Elie Okobo or Dragan Bender, if I had to guess) to New Orleans. O’Connor does mention that Ball’s camp has no power in the negotiation process for any Davis trade.

If New Orleans wants more than that, there are also rumblings that the Suns could emerge as a third team for Ball—much to his father’s delight—possibly with T.J. Warren and a young player going to the Pelicans. However, a source with knowledge of the trade discussions said the Ball family’s desires have no bearing on how the Lakers or Pelicans will approach negotiations.