Latest news with #LonzoBall
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Lonzo Ball was supposed to revive the Los Angeles Lakers but something went wrong
(Image Source - Getty Images) Lonzo Ball, picked second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, came to the Los Angeles Lakers with a lot of potential: a local hero dubbed "the new face of the Lakers," known for his flashy assists, strong defense, and a confident style. But what started as a bright future quickly turned into a sad story as injuries piled up, games were lost, and hope faded away. Instead of sparking excitement at Staples Center, it became a cautionary tale of unmet expectations—and unanswered questions. How a dazzling draft-night dream spiraled into Lakers draft history regret In 2017, the Lakers picked Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick, following two consecutive lottery selections, as they looked to him to shape their future with his diverse skill set. He quickly made a name for himself, snagging Summer League MVP with some incredible triple-doubles—an exhilarating preview of what many expected to be a groundbreaking rookie season. Unfortunately, Ball's rookie year was cut short by persistent shoulder and knee issues, limiting him to only 52 games. In his second season, he managed just 47 appearances as ankle and knee troubles continued to hold him back. His numbers—10.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 6.9 RPG—were respectable, but for a No. 2 pick meant for greatness, it felt lacking. By 2019, the Lakers were craving reliable help for LeBron James, so they made a bold move sending Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart in a major trade to acquire Anthony Davis. This deal redefined the Lakers' championship plan around a proven star—but it also meant sacrificing Ball's opportunity to thrive in purple and gold. Once he left LA, Ball established a strong presence in New Orleans and Chicago, hitting his career highs before more knee surgeries put him on the sidelines for 1,006 days. However, back in Los Angeles, he's still on ClutchPoints' list of the franchise's 10 most regrettable draft picks, not because he wasn't talented, but because he didn't achieve the superstar path that was anticipated in 2017. The Lakers chapter of Lonzo Ball's career is filled with bright moments dimmed by the weight of expectations and injuries. Picked as a transformative player, he provided glimpses—spectacular assists, strong defense—but never fully realized his potential while in Los Angeles. Also Read: Ime Udoka's rise in Houston Rockets just triggered one of the boldest moves this offseason The blockbuster trade for Davis definitely benefited the Lakers, but Ball's legacy is a tale of what might have been: a local talent whose potential faded before it could fully blossom, reminding everyone that even the most promising players can dim before their prime. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
LaMelo And Lonzo Ball Looking To Join Forces In Clippers? LaVar's Latest Pitch Promotes Big Move
LaMelo And Lonzo Ball Looking To Join Forces In Clippers? LaVar's Latest Pitch Promotes Big Move originally appeared on Fadeaway World. While players cannot directly approach another team while on contract with another in the NBA, LaVar Ball seems to have found a way around it. As a proud father, LaVar has consistently promoted his sons' careers. It was undoubtedly his vision that brought all three of his sons to an NBA-caliber career. And now he wishes to see two of his sons on the same team, and honestly, I see the vision too, this time. Advertisement LaVar Ball recently went viral for posting a video online in which he pitches to the Clippers that they need to make moves so that two of his sons, who are still in the NBA, LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball, can be on their team. He even pitches his third son LiAngelo Ball's name, but it's highly unlikely that he gets an NBA contract when he is focused on building a music career. "If you want a championship, listen to me. I'm making it very easy. Everybody trying to go out and make these trades. Hey, Melo should be over here, Melo should be over here. I don't care where you put Melo, but what I do tell you if you put him with his brother, he will go to his original spot, which is the two... He loves to score, but the only person he'll move over from the one spot is his brother Lonzo. Get Lonzo, Melo, and Gelo. Can't nobody beat my guys playing fast." He even says that the type of basketball his sons play together is similar to what has taken the Pacers to the NBA Finals this season. Can The Clippers Lure LaMelo Ball And Lonzo Ball? LaMelo Ball is in the second year of his max extension with the Hornets and is looking to earn $37.95 million in 2025-26. Lonzo Ball is in the first year of a two-year extension where he is set to earn $10 million, despite missing most of the last two seasons with the Bulls. Getting a contract extension despite an injury-prone history indicates that the Bulls have a plan to use Lonzo on their team. Advertisement If the Clippers set things in motion to acquire LaMelo Ball, the first major decision they will have to make is trading James Harden or Kawhi Leonard to make room for a max contract. Getting Lonzo Ball to come may be easier, but the Hornets will likely have a massive asking price if the Clippers seek a trade for their only All-Star. Both Ball brothers grew up playing basketball for the same high school and were in fact, on the same team for a year. While Lonzo is a pass-first point guard, LaMelo is more focused on scoring but has equivalent playmaking skills to his brother. If the Clippers go all-in on going younger, then they may be able to pull off these moves. Here's what we consider a reasonable asking price for both players: LaMelo Ball: One veteran player (Kawhi Leonard or James Harden) + 2 first-round picks Lonzo Ball: One reliable veteran (Bogdan Bogdanovic) While the Clippers have not yet expressed any public interest in these players, behind closed doors, they may be frustrated with Kawhi Leonard's vulnerability to injury and decide to go younger. Do you think the Clippers will pull the trigger on a trade that brings both of these players back home to LA? Let us know what you think in the comments section. Related: NBA Insider Hints At A Potential Kevin Durant-James Harden Reunion Amid Trade Rumors This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Might Be Interested In Lonzo Ball For A Discounted Price
Lakers Might Be Interested In Lonzo Ball For A Discounted Price originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Los Angeles Lakers may be considering a reunion with Lonzo Ball, but they're not willing to roll the dice unless the price is right. According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, the franchise has legitimate interest in bringing back the former No. 2 overall pick, though only under very specific conditions. Advertisement "I do, I think they would be. It's just a matter of what his price is, and you have to factor in the health and the history there of, just you can't even pencil him in for 60 games." "So whatever you're giving up for him, there has to be some level of a discount, or you're factoring in, like, this dude might just play 40, 50 games. He's a guy you have to load manage. Like, how can we load manage him to get to mid-April in one piece?" That skepticism is well-earned. Ball has played only 70 games total in the past four seasons, including two seasons missed entirely due to a devastating knee injury that required multiple surgeries. He made a limited return last season, appearing in just 35 games while averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 36.6% shooting from the field and 34.4% from three. While he showed flashes of his old defensive brilliance and floor vision, the explosiveness and rhythm were clearly not all the way back. Advertisement A potential trade idea making the rounds features the Lakers receiving Lonzo Ball along with a 2028 Chicago Bulls second-round pick, while sending out Maxi Kleber and Shake Milton. Los Angeles Lakers Recieve: Lonzo Ball, 2028 Chicago Bulls second-Round pick Chicago Bulls Recieve: Maxi Kleber, Shake Milton The Lakers Take A Risk At A Discounted Price From the Lakers' perspective, this is a low-risk, medium-reward gamble. Kleber and Milton are end-of-bench rotation players in a fully healthy Lakers lineup, and the front office may be willing to exchange those pieces for a point guard who, if managed properly, can provide defensive balance, high-IQ passing, and pace off the bench. Advertisement Ball would likely slide into a reserve role behind Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. His perimeter defense and passing could help stabilize bench units, but the team knows any success would depend on his availability, and that's been the biggest hurdle of all. The Bulls End The Lonzo Ball Era For the Bulls, this move would officially close the book on the Lonzo Ball era. When he was first acquired to team up with DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls believed they had assembled a contender in the East. And for a while, they looked the part, but everything fell apart when Ball's knee injuries derailed the team's momentum. Advertisement With DeRozan and LaVine now long gone and the franchise fully in rebuild mode, moving Ball and gaining flexible veterans like Kleber and Milton in return, along with clearing future salary and risk, makes practical sense. The story of Lonzo Ball's career has been one of promise, frustration, and perseverance. A Lakers return would be poetic, but only if the cost reflects the reality. Related: NBA Insider Shares Latest Lakers Trade Rumors And News This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ranking the top 3 Lonzo Ball trade destinations
The post Ranking the top 3 Lonzo Ball trade destinations appeared first on ClutchPoints. The offseason is here for the Chicago Bulls, and it is an important one as the team looks to return to a more competitive form in the near future. The Bulls have been stuck during the past few years as their desire to remain competitive has stopped them from achieving the ultimate goal of being a contender. When a lot of teams are in the position that the Bulls are in, they choose to tank to get a better draft pick. Chicago hasn't done that, and it has resulted in three straight play-in tournament losses. Instead of tanking to get to where they want to be, the Bulls are going to make some trades this offseason. One of them could involve Lonzo Ball. Advertisement Lonzo Ball has been in the NBA for eight seasons now, but he did miss two full years because of a knee injury. Ball was selected with the second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, and he has since played for the New Orleans Pelicans before joining the Bulls in 2021. A lot of people thought that Ball was going to be traded before the All-Star break, but he reached an agreement with the Bulls on a two-year deal. However, that deal left the door open for a trade, and it could be coming soon. Ball isn't the same player that he was before his knee injury, but he is still a good role player when he can stay healthy. He made his long-awaited return to the court for Chicago this past season, and it took him a while to get back into a rhythm. He finished the season averaging 7.6 points per game, which is the lowest total of his career. However, Ball also averaged only 22.2 minutes per game, which is also the lowest of his career. There are some teams across the league that could use a player like Lonzo Ball, and there are others that wouldn't be a good fit. Here are the three best destinations for Ball if the Bulls do decide to trade him this offseason: 3. Charlotte Hornets The Hornets would be an intriguing destination for Lonzo Ball because of the fact that his brother, LaMelo Ball, is currently the star of the team. If LaMelo ends up staying put in Charlotte, that would be a good situation for Lonzo. However, that trade might not be the best decision for the Hornets as Lonzo might not fit into their current rebuild plan. It doesn't seem like a very likely destination, but it would be cool to see the Ball brothers on the same team. 2. Dallas Mavericks Because of Kyrie Irving's injury late last season, Lonzo Ball could be a good fit for the Mavericks. After trading Luka Doncic, everything started to go downhill in Dallas, and the future was looking bleak. However, things started to turn around when the Mavericks shockingly won the NBA Draft Lottery. Dallas had less than a 2% chance to get the first pick, but that didn't matter. The Mavericks got it, and Cooper Flagg is going to be joining the team. Advertisement The addition of Cooper Flagg will be huge, but it doesn't solve every issue. Irving will be recovering from his injury for a while, and the Mavericks could use some help at point guard in the meantime. 1. Los Angeles Lakers Lastly, a return to the Lakers would be great for Lonzo Ball. Ball grew up in Southern California and spent his college days playing for UCLA. The Lakers are the team that drafted Ball, but he only spent two years with the team. The Lakers could use another experienced role player like him for next season as they look to make a deeper run in the postseason in what could be one of LeBron James' final chances at a ring. There is still a lot of uncertainty about Lonzo Ball's future in Chicago, but if the Bulls do decide to trade him, he likely wouldn't be too upset about joining any of these three teams. Related: Bulls Lonzo Ball grabs attention after 'Tweaker' BET Awards performance with LiAngelo Related: NBA rumors: Bulls could've gotten more from Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey trade
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lonzo Ball picks this Hollywood star as his preferred replacement for James Bond's role
Lonzo Ball picks this Hollywood star as his preferred replacement for James Bond's role (Image Credit: Getty Images) Lonzo Ball discussed Hollywood movies and addressed Halle Berry 's statement, who has said that a woman could play James Bond in the next instalment of the franchise. The discussion took place at the What an Experience with Lonzo Ball show, a platform that brings sports and culture together. Lonzo and his brother, LiAngelo, shared who could be a suitable actor as the next James Bond. Lonzo Ball talked about a preferred Hollywood star who could be next James Bond Lonzo Ball touched on various interesting topics on his podcast, What an Experience. The discussion took an interesting turn when the participants of the podcast picked up movie debate. They shared who their preferred replacement for the iconic James Bond is. Revealing his favorite actor who could pull off James Bond, he said: "You talking about Idris Ela? Yeah. Yeah. See I see a lot of people say they want him to be James Bond. I would not be mad at that at all.' He further said, 'Yeah. He's an action guy. He's tough. He's tough. Yeah. I don't know who that is. James Bond. You You've seen him. He's crank. He just had a new movie recently, didn't he? Yeah. The Bman. The Bman. Yeah. The Beekeeper. That's what it is." Best Action Movies & Pranks Gone Too Far | The WAE Show w/ Lonzo Ball Ep. 41 He further said, "He a good actor, bro. Good. Now, low key. Let's Let's get Idris. Uh Idris Ela. Idris Ela. I'm so sorry. I was just watching a movie with bro in it. Yeah. Yeah. He's he's great. He can act. He get swap. Let's throw him in there. I'm I'm there first day." Lonzo gave his thoughts on the ongoing buzz about whether the James Bond character should get a gender swap. He preferred it to be a race swap rather than a gender swap. The discussion took place in Episode 41 of the podcast. Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball, DMO, and Ant host the show and bring together sports and culture. Lonzo Ball's brother shared his thoughts on a woman playing James Bond's character In the movie debate section, the hosts picked a trending question: whether a woman should play James Bond's character. One of the hosts asked the participants' thoughts on the gender swap of James Bond's character. Revealing his thoughts, Lonzo Ball's brother, LiAngelo Ball, said, 'If it ain't Peppermint, we don't want to see.' Lonzo & Gelo Give Relationship Advice | The WAE Show w/ Lonzo Ball All four participants agreed on Idris Alba as the best choice for James Bond's character. They also shared which other movies they enjoyed watching. Movies like Final Destination and Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning were discussed in the show. Also Read: Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball candidly reveals off-court relationship with brother LaMelo Ball - 'We talk more about life' Lonzo Ball discussed NBA, WNBA and Action movie franchise along with James Bond gender swap, serving a wholesome entertainer to fans. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
