LaVar Ball to ESPN: ‘Phoenix is the best fit’ for Lonzo Ball
Feb 4, 2019, 3:21 PM
(AP Photo/Liusjenas Kulbis, File)
(AP Photo/Liusjenas Kulbis, File)
The big baller bossman is calling for Phoenix. That is, at least, if the Los Angeles Lakers need to move on from Lonzo Ball.
The second-year point guard’s father, LaVar Ball, told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk on Monday that his son wants to remain in Los Angeles. If that’s out of the question — say if the Lakers need to deal Ball to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans — then the Ball patriarch wants to see his son play for the Phoenix Suns.
LaVar Ball wants to speak his wishes into existence.
LaVar Ball tells ESPN that if Lonzo Ball is traded, he wants his son to go to Phoenix: “We want to be in LA. But if he’s traded, I don’t want Lonzo in New Orleans. Phoenix is the best fit for him. And I am going to speak it into existence.”
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 4, 2019
That backs up the Los Angeles Times’ Tania Ganguli, who reported last week that there was “mutual interest” between Ball and the Suns.
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Word had already leaked that Ball did not find the Pelicans a great fit. Phoenix is an obvious match considering the team’s need for a point guard.
The cloudy status of Davis and his own trade request saga heading into Thursday’s deadline, of course, will dictate much of what happens with Ball. Just before LaVar Ball’s wishes were published to Twitter, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Lakers had pushed more of their trade chips to the center of the table.
Los Angeles reportedly offered Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley and two first-round picks to New Orleans in exchange for Davis and the salary of Solomon Hill, per the Los Angeles Times’ Brad Turner.
While the Lakers want to reach a trade agreement before the deadline, the Pelicans have been more apprehensive. They are attempting to get the best offer possible with Davis’ contract running through next season.
New Orleans has reason to wait, as the Boston Celtics could get involved in a trade once July hits if point guard Kyrie Irving remains committed to staying there. Davis’ camp, however, put out a list of acceptable landing spots that didn’t include the Celtics, perhaps signaling that they want a deal with the Lakers to get done this week.
