Ball and chain and White elephant

Ball and chain noun - Heavy iron ball attached to a prisoner by a chain.

White elephant and ball and chain are semantically related In some cases you can replace phrase "White elephant" with "Ball and chain", this phrases are similar.

White elephant noun - A valuable possession whose upkeep is excessively expensive.

Ball and chain and white elephant are semantically related in expensive possession topic. You can use "Ball and chain" instead a noun phrase "White elephant".