In first public comments, Lonzo Ball calls trade to Pelicans 'good news'
As far as breakups go, point guard Lonzo Ball is handling his abrupt ending with the Los Angeles Lakers in stride.
In his first public comments since being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball expressed excitement for his new opportunity in the Big Easy.
"You probably heard the news, it's good news in my opinion," a casually dressed Ball said in a Facebook video posted Sunday. "(Younger brother) 'Melo had a game today, he did good. ... I got traded, that was good. And yeah, now we're going to be taking the show to New Orleans and turning up out there. So, until next time, chow."
Ball's father, LaVar, had publicly expressed relief that his son was traded, calling the Lakers' culture "raggedy." The family's reality show, "Ball in the Family," focused on Lonzo's first two seasons with the Lakers.
Ball was selected No. 2 overall by the Lakers in the 2017 NBA draft and promoted as the future of the franchise by former president Magic Johnson and current GM Rob Pelinka. After an unheralded rookie campaign, Ball played his sophomore season alongside LeBron James — averaging 9.9 points and 5.4 assists through 47 games due to injury. But when it came time to trade for Anthony Davis, the Lakers shipped Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and a slew of draft picks to New Orleans.
The Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson No. 1 in last week's NBA draft and envision Ball's transition passing and alley-ooping ability to mesh nicely with Williamson's athleticism. At the draft, Williamson raved about Ball's passing ability as an "old-school" point guard.