Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Head coach Luke Walton is not worried about LaVar Ball, and says it will have no impact on Lonzo Ball being selected by the team.
Los Angeles Lakers rumors have begun picking up in recent days. There has been some trade chatter surrounding the team, involving guards D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. One of those players could be moved during the 2017 NBA Draft, which is the first order of business for the Lakers this offseason.
Right now, the Lakers have two selections in the NBA Draft, both in the first round; No. 2 overall and No. 28 overall. Both picks will be important to the Lakers, but most of the focus is on the second pick.
Markelle Fultz is widely believed to be the No. 1 prospect in this draft. He is likely to be selected first by the Boston Celtics. With the second pick, the Lakers could go a number of ways. UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball has been a popular pick in mock drafts.
There has been varying reports about the Lakers feelings about Ball. Earlier in the process, it was reported that they were enamored with Ball. As we’ve moved closer to the draft, that tune has changed.
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Had the NBA Draft been last weekend, there were reports that the Lakers would have passed on Ball with the second pick. Another report popped up that Ball was never a lock for the Lakers, as they were unsure he would be a star and had concerns about his father, LaVar Ball.
LaVar has been very outspoken. He has been vocal about wanting Lonzo to play for the Lakers and is a lightning rod for controversy. Just type his name into Google or on a social media and see some of the cringe-worthy videos and articles that pop up.
There are legitimate concerns about LaVar, but one person who is not worried about it is Lakers head coach, Luke Walton. Speaking on the Jim Rome show, Walton said that LaVar would be welcome at the dinner with Lonzo on Tuesday, but not the workout on Wednesday.
Walton also touched on the potential for selecting Ball with the second pick. While some people are turned off by LaVar’s antics, they are not something that impacts Walton. He said he is not concerned with LaVar.
"“No, I wouldn’t [be concerned about LaVar’s opinionated nature]. We’re in the NBA, to me, that’s not an issue. Parents are always gonna have their opinions. They’re gonna be outspoken at times. As you know, Jim, I have a very outspoken father myself. It doesn’t bother me. If we were to draft him, we’re gonna coach him. He’s gonna be part of our team. He’s gonna be part of our family. And we’ll go from there. This is the NBA. We’ll keep the team where it needs to be. We’ll not let outside things like that influence us on whether or not we pick the kid.”"
LaVar’s presence seems to be the biggest sticking point for Lonzo at this point. There is no denying the talent that he has on the court. He has excellent size standing 6-feet-6 inches tall. He sees the court extremely well and has range on his jump shot.
There are things he needs to improve upon, which could sway the Lakers against selecting Ball. Defensive effort is one area, and his shooting form is cause for concern. They are both things the Lakers coaching staff can tweak with some work over the summer and in training camp.
Next: Full First Round 2017 NBA Mock Draft
It will be an interesting few weeks leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft. The Lakers have a chance to land a difference maker in the backcourt to help push their rebuild forward.