23-year-old Lonzo Ball is finally becoming the player we all though he would be coming out of UCLA.
With guys like Stephen A. Smith lauding his development as a player, and the Pelicans clearly sold on him being a long-term piece of their franchise, it is clear that ‘Zo has changed a lot of the negative stigmas that followed him early in his career.
But with Lonzo comes LaVar, and with LaVar comes problems. For the Pelicans, they’re experiencing that fact first-hand. In a recent interview with the “Big Baller father,” he spilled some rather shocking tea regarding his son and his feelings towards New Orleans.
“I don’t know what they’re gonna do, but I hope he gets traded. I don’t like watching him play like he plays… He can’t stand New Orleans, come on man.”
Obviously, that’s a major shot to the city, the fans who live there, and the organization itself. Considering Lonzo has not requested a trade up to this point (at least not that we’re aware of), it’s a bit surprising to find out that he has such negative feelings about his current location.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean Lonzo will be on the first bus out of town. He is a restricted free agent this summer and he plays a pretty important role for the Pelicans as a playmaker, shooter, and primary perimeter defender.
This season, he’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game on 42.6% shooting.
