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After failing to make the playoffs during the 2018-19 season, the LA Lakers vastly retooled the lineup in LeBron James’ second year with the team. LaVar Ball has claimed that he motivated them to go all the way.
LA sent Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, three future first-round picks and a pick swap for Anthony Davis. Ball’s father, LaVar, promptly declared that the Lakers would not win any championship after his son was traded. In Jun. 2020, though, James and Davis led the purple and gold franchise to banner #17.
Years later, the founder of the Big Baller Brand had this to say about the comments that backfired on him (1:06 mark):
“They’re lucky I gave them some firepower to go win that. They need to give me some money or thank me to get them lined up. They’ve been thinking about me for a whole year. I ain’t not thinking for nobody for a whole year.”
In two seasons with the LA Lakers, Lonzo Ball averaged 10 points, 6.4 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He showed that he was a great passer and an excellent rebounder for his size. Ball, though, was a poor shooter.
The former UCLA star hit just 38.0% of his shots, including 31.5% from behind the arc. Moreover, he made only 43.7% of his attempts from the free-throw line. During clutch game situations, former coach Luke Walton would yank him off games.
LaVar Ball also criticized Walton during that time. He insisted that had the coach consistently kept LeBron James and Lonzo Ball in the game, they would have made the playoffs. The Lakers were 20-14 when “King James” and Ball were on the floor together.
The LA Lakers thought that they needed a big-time star by exchanging a few of their emerging players. They rolled the dice on Anthony Davis and were successful with their gamble.
While LeBron James and AD led the team to the 2020 championship, Lonzo Ball worked on his craft in New Orleans. It was with the Pelicans that Ball started to become a better shooter to complement his well-rounded game.
LaVar Ball claimed that LeBron James’ LA Lakers were crashing even before Lonzo Ball was traded
LaVar Ball appeared on First Take to give his thoughts about Lonzo Ball’s trade to the New Orleans Pelicans. Here’s what he had to say about the Lakers’ status even before his son was sent packing (1:10 mark):
“It’s raggedy over there.
Three years later, he hasn’t changed his mind (0:25 mark):
“The coaching and the structure was bad. The whole building was coming down. ‘Let’s get out of that building before it crashes down on us.’”
LaVar Ball’s claims might have been true but when LeBron James found his partner, the LA Lakers did just fine in 2020.
