The Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets have emerged as the leading contenders to sign free-agent guard Lonzo Ball after the Utah Jazz waived him on Thursday, league sources said.
Multiple clubs have asked the NBA for access to Ball’s medical records, according to insider Chris Haynes. If those documents are approved, Golden State is viewed as the frontrunner, while Denver remains a strong suitor.
The Warriors’ interest comes as they consider converting two-way guard Pat Spencer to a standard deal, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported. Both the Warriors and Nuggets carry 13 players on standard contracts and must reach the league-minimum 14 within two weeks, leaving each team with two open roster spots.
Ball’s Recent Journey
Drafted second overall in 2017, the 6’5″ playmaker has battled injuries throughout his career, most notably a left-knee problem that required three surgeries and sidelined him for two-and-a-half seasons. Ball spent the first months of the 2025-26 campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers before being packaged with two second-round picks in a salary-dump trade to Utah just before the deadline. The Jazz released him immediately after completing the deal, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent once he clears waivers.
In 35 appearances for Cleveland this season, Ball averaged a career-low 4.6 points in 20.8 minutes, shooting .301 from the field, .272 from three and .667 at the line. He also contributed 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Nearly 84 percent of his attempts came from beyond the arc, well below his career three-point accuracy of 35.5 percent.
Spencer Reaches 50-Game Limit
Meanwhile, Spencer hit his 50-game active threshold during Thursday’s comeback win in Phoenix, scoring a team-high 20 points with six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes while Stephen Curry sat out with a knee injury. The 29-year-old guard has averaged 5.8 points, 2.9 assists and 2.2 rebounds on .423/.431/.833 shooting in 36 contests (14.4 minutes per game).
Ball will become eligible to sign with any team when he clears waivers, a process expected to conclude in the coming days.
Source: HoopsRumors
