After years of rebuilding, there is a buzz surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers with the arrival of Lonzo Ball. In his preseason debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ball finished with five points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in 36 minutes.
While Ball struggled with his shooting, his father was the main attraction at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. When asked if he would be a distraction, LaVar Ball had a message for President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson according to Bill Oram of Orange County Register:
LaVar Ball said Magic is "not going to have no problems with what I do because he can’t tell me what to do. You worry about Lonzo."
— Bill Oram (@billoram) October 1, 2017
As Ball's father will likely continue to dominate the headlines, the Lakers did their due diligence prior to the 2017 NBA Draft and were comfortable with the situation. Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka view the rookie as the face of the franchise with his pass-first mentality.
Similar to Ball's Summer League debut, the expectation is he will bounce back. With the point guard playing against the league's best and adjusting to the game's speed, it will only be a matter of time before he showcases his All-Star potential.
If Ball is able to establish himself in his rookie season, the hope is his pass-first mentality will attract future free agents as early as 2018.
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