Lonzo Ball Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Randle, Booker, Ball

January 30th, 2018 at 10:52pm CST by Austin Kent

A move back into the starting lineup has helped Lakers forward Julius Randle take his game to another level, Bill Oram of The Orange County Register writes. The 23-year-old has averaged 16.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in just 26.5 minutes of action.

Randle, who started the season off the bench after two years as the team’s starting power forward, was promoted by Lakers head coach Luke Walton to be a physical presence for the squad and collect rebounds.

All in, Randle has registered seven double-doubles in the month of January alone while also taking major steps defensively. The move into the starting lineup, Oram writes, comes with more responsibility on that end of the ball considering that the Lakers tend to play man-to-man with their starters while switching everything with their reserves.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

X-Rays of Devin Booker‘s ribs came back negative, Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes. The 21-year-old Suns guard missed Monday’s game with a rib contusion but hopes to be back in the lineup Wednesday.
The Trail Blazers are playing some of their best basketball of the season of late, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes, but everything can change at the drop of a hat in the competitive Western Conference. Head coach Terry Stotts cautioned against counting out the Pelicans and Thunder following the recent season-ending injuries to DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Roberson, however.
Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball has started testing his knee laterally, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times tweets. Ball still isn’t practicing with the team but seems to be making gradual progress. Ball has missed seven straight games.

L.A. Notes: Ball, Nance, Williams, Jordan

January 27th, 2018 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are expecting Lonzo Ball to return soon from his injured left knee, possibly before the end of the current road trip, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The injury, which has officially been classified as a sprained MCL, took place January 13.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if within a couple days, a week, whatever it is, they say he’s ready to start practicing again,” coach Luke Walton said. “But we’re still training and approaching it as if it’s long-term.”

Ball joined the team at the end of today’s practice, but spent most of the time getting treatment on the knee, lifting weights and working on his shot. Walton said that once Ball goes through a full practice and feels fine the next day, he can start playing again.

There’s more NBA news out of Los Angeles:

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. was slightly surprised to hear his name brought up in trade rumors for the first time in his career. Appearing on a podcast with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Nance said he realizes it’s part of life in the NBA. “At the end of the day, it’s a business,” he said. “If something like that were to happen, if I were to get traded to a different team, it would be a team that would value me. I try to look at it like that, just as an opportunity.”
Clippers guard Lou Williams was passed over for the All-Star Game for a second time today when commissioner Adam Silver picked Oklahoma City’s Paul George to replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins. Williams, averaging a career-best 23.6 points per game after being traded to L.A. last summer, offered his reaction on social media, first tweeting, “What’s crazier than 1 snub??? 2,” then offering a more philosophical response. “Y’all talking to a guy that’s been coming off the bench 7 plus years,” he wrote. “Lol i ain’t hurt about no all star snub. It’s dope to be in the conversation. I wanted it just to represent the underdogs. Not for validation.” (Twitter link)
There’s no guarantee DeAndre Jordan will be with the Clippers past the February 8 trade deadline, but if does leave, it will be with the franchise record for games played, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Jordan set the mark of 716 Friday night in Memphis. “It’s been a long journey,” he said. “Coming here when I was 19 and not playing hardly at all my first year, it’s been a cool ride though. They stuck with me and let me grow into a better player and person. Making history is always great, whatever you’re doing.”

Pacific Rumors: L. Williams, Ball, Divac, Kings

January 23rd, 2018 at 9:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

Combo guard Lou Williams hasn’t made any progress with the Clippers regarding an extension, Sam Amick of USA Today reports. Williams is enjoying a career year and has an expiring contract that could draw interest from numerous contenders, but it sounds like the veteran wouldn’t mind staying put and reaching an agreement to stay in L.A. “I’m putting everything on the line out here for this organization, and you know the season I’m having I would like to be rewarded for it and just appreciated,” he told Amick.

In other Pacific Division developments:

Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has missed the last four games with a left knee injury and he may remain sidelined during the team’s upcoming five-game road trip, ESPN.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk reports. Ball is expected to join the team on the trip, which begins Friday in Chicago. The Lakers are 2-8 in games he’s missed. “Whether he plays or not [on the trip], that all depends on the knee,” coach Luke Walton told reporters. “We are not going to rush him back from a sore knee. Once that gets better, we will get him back on the court.”
Kings GM Vlade Divac‘s job is safe despite the club’s disappointing season, writes The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones. Divac’s contract runs through the 2019/20 season and it wouldn’t do the organization any good to begin another rebuild with a different GM at this point, according to Jones, who adds that the way that next season unfolds will determine if Divac sticks long-term.
With the Kings resting veterans and going all-in on their youth movement in the second half, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee takes a closer look at several of the team’s young players, exploring what the team wants to see down the stretch from Bogdan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield, De’Aaron Fox, and others.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Pacific Notes: Hill, Giles, Chriss, Ball

January 20th, 2018 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

If the trade rumors surrounding George Hill are true, the Kings would be parting with a valuable mentor for first-round pick De’Aaron Fox, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Hill’s playing time has been sporadic lately as coach Dave Joerger tries to commit more minutes to his younger guys. Hill is averaging 27.2 minutes and 10.5 points per game, both down significantly from last season in Utah.

“If it’s me with my leadership skills, if it’s me on the court, if it’s me in the weight room or the locker room,” Hill said. “Whatever, just try to do the best I can, stay professional in every situation and have fun doing it. There’s a reason why I’m here. God put me in this situation for a reason that I don’t know. So I’ve got to stay the course, trust the process and keep being a pro about it and figure it out on the fly.”

There’s more tonight from the Pacific Division:

The Kings used an analytic approach to the Harry Giles situation before opting to shut down the rookie for the season, relays Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. A franchise that has disdained analytics in the past researched Giles’ condition thoroughly before arriving at the decision. “We trusted modern sports medicine,” said assistant GM Brandon Williams. “That was the start of it. We knew we had to be careful because his ceiling is so high. Until you get to know Harry, you treat him as a fragile being. ‘Banged up. Went to Duke.’ We decided to wait for January, which is two years since his last [ACL] injury, and figure it out from there. What we learned these last few weeks was that the ACL is healed. Then the question became, ‘Do we push it?’”
An injury to Suns forward Marquese Chriss appears worse than the team originally thought, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Chriss has missed four games with a right hip flexor strain and may need a second MRI. “I don’t really know what’s going on with it,” he said. “Some days it feels good, some days it doesn’t. I’ve been able to get on the floor to shoot. Running is the hardest thing to do right now. It’s frustrating that I’m not able to play.”
Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball is making progress from a knee injury that has sidelined him for the past three games, but he still isn’t close to returning, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Coach Luke Walton said Ball is several steps away from playing again.

Pacific Notes: Ball, CP3, Clippers, Kings

January 16th, 2018 at 10:15pm CST by marksuleymanov

Lonzo Ball‘s balky left knee kept him out of the Lakers‘ loss to the Grizzlies on Monday and will likely sideline him for at least another game, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes. Ball underwent an MRI on Sunday after he complained of discomfort and he will not be able to return until the swelling subsides.

“I know my body the best,” Ball said. “So as long as I can run, that is pretty much all I need. So as soon as I can run and the swelling goes down a little bit, then I should be ready to go.”

Ball, 20, had played well since he returned from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for six games from late December through early January. In total, Ball has averaged 10.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 7.1 APG in 36 games for Los Angeles. The Lakers are 0-6 without Ball and are also currently without Brandon Ingram who is day-to-day with a sprained ankle.

Check out other Pacific Division notes below:

Before the melee that ensued during and after in the Rockets‘ matchup against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Monday, former Clipper Chris Paul did not want to be the focus of the game, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. Paul spent six seasons with the Clippers before he was traded this past offseason to Houston, pairing him with perennial Most Valuable Player candidate James Harden. However, after the game was over, it was Paul and several of his Rockets teammates entering the Clippers locker room looking for a confrontation with several L.A. players that was the story.
Michael Lee of The Vertical examines the Clippers dynasty that never was. While Los Angeles compiled an impressive list of stars, such as Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and others, the team was never able to escape the first round of the playoffs.
Several Kings player have voiced their displeasure with the way things are going for the team and that could be beneficial for the organization’s rebuild, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. Jones argues that if players continue speaking up, the team will have to speed up its efforts to put forth a contending team with winning players.
With the trade deadline approaching, James Ham of NBC Sports takes a look at which Kings veterans could be on the move and the impact they could have on the market.

Injury Notes: Turner, Harden, Leuer, Ball

January 15th, 2018 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers center Myles Turner has missed his club’s last three games and has already been ruled out of the remaining four contests on Indiana’s current road trip, the team announced today in a press release. Turner won’t require surgery, but he has been diagnosed with a ligament sprain and muscle strain in that troublesome elbow, and isn’t close to returning. Following the Pacers’ current road trip, Turner will be considered week to week, according to the team.

Here are a few more injury updates from across the NBA:

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni hopes that James Harden will be able to return from his hamstring injury before the end of this week, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN details. “It could be Thursday or Saturday, I don’t know,” D’Antoni said on Sunday. “He’s got to get better. We’ll see. Whenever he’s ready.” Harden would presumably like to be back on the court for those showdowns later this week against Minnesota (Thursday) and Golden State (Saturday).
Jon Leuer continues to battle ankle issues, having recently received a second injection in his ankle, according to Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy (Twitter link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News). Season-ending surgery looks like an increasingly likely possibility for the veteran big man.
After undergoing an MRI, Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball was diagnosed with minor left knee sprain, the Lakers announced last night (via Twitter). It’s not viewed as a significant injury.

Lakers Notes: Ball, Zubac, Hayes

January 14th, 2018 at 4:07pm CST by marksuleymanov

Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball is headed for an MRI on his left knee after he experienced soreness this morning, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. There is no word on the severity of Ball’s soreness but Youngmisuk noted that the MRI is “precautionary.”

Ball, 20, has already missed time this season due to injury. The second overall pick from last year’s NBA Draft missed six games in late December-early January due to a right shoulder injury. Los Angeles will face the Grizzlies on the road on Monday and depending on the MRI, the team may be without Ball.

The rookie has played well since he returned from the aforementioned injury. All told, Ball is averaging 10.2 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 7.1 RPG in 36 games this season. In addition to facing scrutiny about his play, Ball has had to answer questions about his outspoken father, LaVar Ball, who has criticized the Lakers’ organization and its coaches.

Check out other Lakers news below:

After the Lakers waived Andrew Bogut, Croatian big man Ivica Zubac believed he would see an increased role for the Lakers, but that has not been the case, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. Zubac, 20, has appeared in just 11 games for the Lakers — something that’s hard to believe since he entered the summer at the Lakers’ starting center. Instead, Zubac has seen frequent action in the G League. “I think I really improved in those games,” Zubac said. “It’s harder when you’re not playing in the NBA but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Tomorrow is the deadline for two-way deals and one name connected to the Lakers recently has been Wisconsin product Nigel Hayes, tweets Adam Johnson of 10Days2Ways.

Lakers Have ‘Complete Faith’ In Luke Walton

January 10th, 2018 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite not publicly expressing support for their head coach in the wake of comments made by LaVar Ball this past weekend, the Lakers have “complete faith” in Luke Walton, a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking tells Sam Amick of USA Today. The same source tells Amick that the Lakers have no regrets about using the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft to select Lonzo Ball.

Speaking to ESPN in Lithuania, Lonzo Ball‘s father suggested over the weekend that Walton had lost his players’ confidence, but that assertion hasn’t been corroborated by any public or private sources in recent days. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported on Sunday that Walton’s job status was “not even a conversation” for the Lakers’ brass, and Amick’s report today further confirms that the franchise still envisions Walton as a potential long-term head coach.

According to Amick, the support for Walton goes all the way to ownership, though there has been silence from the front office and ownership since LaVar Ball spoke out. In a separate piece, Amick questions why the Lakers haven’t issued any public statements on the issue, noting that there would be a way to do it without mentioning LaVar or offending the Ball family.

With no comment from Magic Johnson or Rob Pelinka on the subject this week, rival coaches from around the NBA have jumped in to defend Walton and to rip ESPN for their handling of the elder Ball’s comments. Lakers players such as Kyle Kuzma have also endorsed Walton, with Kuzma telling reporters that he “loves” playing for the L.A. head coach.

“We stand by Luke,” Kuzma said on Monday. “I know the front office does.”

Walton is in the second year of a five-year contract worth a reported $25MM.

Latest on Lakers-Ball Controversy

January 8th, 2018 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers coach Luke Walton is more concerned about the distraction caused by LaVar Ball’s comments about him than his job security, sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Ball, in comments published by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, created a firestorm when Ball said Walton had lost the team and no one wanted to play for him. Ball had met with president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka in late November after the father of rookie guard Lonzo Ball publicly criticized Walton. The elder Ball promised to tone down his act, so both he and Johnson must be held accountable now, Shelburne opines, as Ball went back on his word and Johnson failed to immediately defend his coach. The club needs to take a harsher stance against LaVar Ball or risk being dragged into one controversy after another, Shelburne concludes.

In other developments regarding the Lakers/Ball situation:

Rookie forward Kyle Kuzma gave a ringing endorsement of Walton, as Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times tweets: “Luke is my guy. I love playing for him. … We stand by Luke. I know the front office does.”
The National Basketball Coaches Association issued a statement condemning Goodman’s report, calling it “reprehensible and insulting.” The coaches felt that ESPN should have done more research before publishing Ball’s comments. “The story failed to provide quotes or perspectives from any players, or from Lakers management, either named or unnamed, verifying the claims made in the story. The article lacks any of the basic fundamental benchmarks and standards of reliable journalism,” the statement read in part.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy chimed in on the situation and ripped ESPN for reporting Ball’s comments as news. “I thought it was a cheap shot and I thought ESPN showed total disrespect,” Van Gundy told Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press and other media members. “I don’t have a problem with LaVar Ball. He’s a grown man. He can voice whatever opinion he wants. I got a problem with ESPN deciding that’s a story.”
ESPN had every right to publish Ball’s comments and the real burden falls on the Lakers, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman opines. The team brought on these issues by drafting Ball, knowing all about his attention-grabbing father. If Goodman hadn’t reported it, someone else would have, according to Tramel.
Johnson, Pelinka and Walton must find a way to rebuild the franchise’s culture, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. The team is hoping to land two high-level free agents but that won’t happen if it’s perceived to be in disarray, Mannix adds.

Luke Walton Talks Criticism That He Lost Lakers’ Confidence

January 7th, 2018 at 2:32pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Lakers enter play on Sunday losers of their last nine games and owners of the worst record in the Western Conference at 11-27. The outspoken LaVar Ball, father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, voiced his opinion recently that head coach Luke Walton has lost the team’s confidence and that he needs to be replaced.

Walton, who is in his second season as head coach, spoke to reporters, including Bill Oram of the Orange County Register (via Twitter), and addressed Ball’s comments. Despite Ball’s criticism, Walton said he knows the organization is on his side.

“I know they have my back,” Walton said. “My concerns are coaching our team, prepping for games, and working with what gives us the best chance to win. I know our front office and organization has my back and they will do whatever they have to do on their end of it. I’m not spending my time trying to figure out what they’re all doing about it. I just know they’ll take care of it.”

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets that Walton’s job status is “not even a conversation.”

This is not the first time Walton has had to address comments from his rookie’s father. In late November, Ball said that the Lakers do not know how to coach his son and that he is the only one who can do it effectively. While Walton called the situation “not ideal” for the team, he said it does not bother him as long as his relationship with the Lakers’ starting point guard is not impacted.

“I’m fine with it, it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “My only concern with any of it is for Zo. As long as Zo is fine with it and Zo can come in and play and it doesn’t affect mine and his relationship, then it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Shortly after Walton spoke, Lonzo addressed his father’s comments and disagreed with the assessment that Walton has lost the team’s confidence (via Bill Oram on Twitter). When asked about his relationship with the head coach and if he likes Walton, Lonzo said he would “play for anybody.”

Moving forward, the outspoken elder Ball figures to create more headlines with his vocal opinions of his son, the Lakers franchise, and the current head coach. Walton was asked if he’s worried that Ball’s criticisms may influence the Lakers’ decisions in the future.

“I would hope not,” Walton said.