Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors involve LiAngelo Ball, who is unlikely to be on the team.
Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors have revolved around the team’s plans for this offseason. There have been some Lakers rumors involving the 2018 NBA Draft and which free agents they could sign in free agency.
In recent weeks we have heard that the Lakers may have made a promise to draft prospect, Mitchell Robinson. After a few days, that rumor was refuted. A rumor also popped up about a top prospect, Luke Doncic.
Like many teams, the Lakers are very high on the Slovenian prospect. However, Los Angeles is unlikely to make a trade up to land him. Doncic is regarded as one of the two best prospects in the draft and a virtual lock to be selected in the top-5.
Another prospect garnering a lot of attention is LiAngelo Ball, the brother of Lakers’ point guard, Lonzo Ball. Unlikely Mitchell and Doncic, who are expected to be selected in the first round, Ball is not expected to be selected early, if at all, in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Ball appeared in the 2018 Professional Basketball Combine. Alpha Diallo of Providence and J.P Macura of Xavier were two recognizable players that Ball competed against.
LiAngelo Ball Scrimmage Highlights at Combine
Full scrimmage highlights from LiAngelo Ball at the Professional Basketball Combine at IMG
Posted by Ballislife on Thursday, May 24, 2018
LaVar Ball, their father, is hopeful to get all of his boys, including his youngest son LaMelo, on the Lakers. LiAngelo is considered to have the longest odds of making the NBA. However, if he does make it in the NBA, it does not sound like it will be with the Lakers.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, Ball is unlikely to join the Lakers in any capacity, whether it be via the 2018 NBA Draft or as an undrafted free agent in the G League.
A dribble of draft scuttle for those interested: The Lakers had LiAngelo Ball in for a well-chronicled workout this week but there is pessimism in the extreme coming out of L.A. today that the Lakers have any intentions for him … G-League or otherwise
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 30, 2018
The Lakers own the No. 25 and No. 47 overall picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. There is no chance that the No. 25 pick is used on LiAngelo. It is unlikely that the No. 47 overall pick is even used on him it sounds like.
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Ball was enrolled to play at UCLA for the 2017-18 season. However, an off-court issue when the team was in China led to him being suspended indefinitely. Not wanting to sit out the season, LaVar pulled LiAngelo out of UCLA and he took his talents overseas.
LiAngelo played last season with Vytautas Prienu in Lithuania with LaMelo. He shot the ball well, knocking down 41.5 percent of his 3-point attempts and averaging 12.6 points per game. Ball didn’t do much else, as he averaged only 2.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.1 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game.
LiAngelo is listed at 6’5″, so he would play shooting guard or small forward in the NBA. He does not have great athleticism and isn’t regarded as a great defender. His shooting is probably his best asset right now but will need to show a lot more to earn a spot on a Summer League roster.
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While LaVar would love to get all his boys on the Lakers, it seems unlikely to happen at this point. Getting all three into the NBA would be quite an achievement for the family.