Lonzo Ball‘s father is creating headlines in Los Angeles this morning with comments about Lakers coach Luke Walton, relays Jeff Goodman of ESPN. Lavar Ball claims Walton has lost control of the team and that Lakers players would like to see him replaced.
“You can see they’re not playing for Luke no more,” he said. “Luke doesn’t have control of the team no more. They don’t want to play for him. … Nobody wants to play for him. I can see it. No high-fives when they come out of the game. People don’t know why they’re in the game. He’s too young. He’s too young. … He ain’t connecting with them anymore. You can look at every player, he’s not connecting with not one player.”
LaVar Ball also expressed confidence that LeBron James is heading to the Lakers next season, saying he wants to win a title in Los Angeles so he can surpass Michael Jordan.
There’s more news out of L.A.:
- Ball’s comments came shortly after a report from Ohm Youngmisuk on ESPN Now that Walton believes he still has the support of Lakers management. Majority owner Jeanie Buss recently offered her backing on social media with an “InLukeWeTrust” hashtag, and Walton is confident that the organization is standing behind him during a nine-game losing streak. “As I preach to my players that control what you can control in life, that has to be my philosophy as a coach as well,” Walton said. “… [Team president Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka] have been great, they have been supportive. They obviously understand where we are at as a team and what we are trying to do and what the big picture is… [Buss] has been incredible. I’ve talked with her a lot during the season. She has been around this game for a long time. She knows when to be supportive and she has been really great to work with.”
- The chance to take a shot at James in free agency can’t come soon enough for the Lakers, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, who says this season is unraveling both on the court and behind the scenes. Players expressed frustration with the play of Julius Randle during a recent team meeting, but he was inserted into the starting lineup for the following game, which Isola suggests was mandated by the front office in an effort to increase his trade value. He adds that such a move damages the coach’s standing in the locker room.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be released from a detention center Monday and will have his travel restrictions lifted, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN. Caldwell-Pope has been barred from leaving California while serving a 25-day sentence for a probation violation and has missed four of the team’s last five road games.
Lots of Celtic fans over here enjoying the Laughable Lakers Show !!
#Ballcurse
Any sports journalist that interviews Big Mouth Ball should be fired and boycotted by us. He is ignorant and not worthy of a quote. His crooked teeth says it all. His grammar is awful….a dumb man with no self awareness but a big mouth. But since I am anti all things LA, I love to see the circus…let Earvin earn his money. He had one meeting with Big Mouth…Luke deserves better.
Old man Ball is a psycho. That loser wannabe reminds me of Michael Jackson’s father. He needs to shut up and disappear.
As much as i want to disagree with Lavar something isn’t right with the Lakers. They were playing to their potential ad the season started but seem to have quit lately. Yes injuries occurred but i expect more. Hard to understand why players are mad with Julius as he’s been playing the best of his career, but it also wouldn’t be the first time Frank Isola had no clue what he was talking about
The team is unraveling because any player of value outside of Ball, Kuzma, Ingram will be traded or released either before the deadline or after the season. Magic has already screwed up by basically telling everyone they are gone so he can chase 2 max contract players. But Lebron, won’t pick LA. Neither will Paul George. When all the best players pass over the Lakers, it will be interesting to see if they overpay average players like the Deng and Mozgov deals or have to keep going with a traditional rebuild. But the problem is that will be so much harder when you traded away half or more of your young talent.
No they’re unraveling because they are a young, bad team that out played their potential at the beginning of the season.
What’s the matter can’t your son make his team any better unless he has LeBron? Lol
The next thing Lavar is going to suggest is that he should be hired as coach. The team just isn’t that good yet and half the players know they won’t be there next year. Not going to get much effort level out of some players if they are riding the bench and/or destined to be let go/traded.
Also, I don’t see LeBron going to the Lakers if the intention is to win championships as soon as possible. If his intention is for business, sure. But a LeBron-led Lakers is still worse than Golden State and possibly Houston. Even if they were to pull a miracle and create enough cap space to add a second superstar, I would still take the Warriors over a LeBron/second star/Ball/Kuzma/Ingram Lakers squad. If they can find the cap space to do so, Houston (if they are able to retain CP3) is the more likely destination imo.
Lavar is a media magnet and is not going away so you haters can hate all you want. I disagree Lebron surpasses Michael winning one with the Lakers, if he gets 3 there yes definitely.
Maybe he wins one with the Lakers at the tail end of his career. But the likely Lakers core players going forward (Ball, Ingram, Kuzma) plus LeBron and another superstar isn’t beating Golden State in the playoffs in the next two to three years.
LBJ won’t go near the circus. Big Mouth Ball would make him crazy. Not sure PG will go either…..he has thin skin…not sure he could handle Ball. He might go to LA Clippers!!!! All he cares about is the money….Doc is better than Luke….and no circus to shovel Ball poop.
#InLukeWeTrust