LaVar Ball has never been shy about criticizing Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton. To no surprise, he has wasted no time in giving some subtle advice to Walton following the signing of small forward LeBron James and, of course, it also has something to do about Lonzo Ball.

There has been plenty of speculation regarding how the dynamic of this new team will shake out in the 2018-19 NBA season. According to Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation, Ball feels players like James and his son Lonzo should be free to figure things out on their own.

“You don’t coach a Magic Johnson, you don’t coach a LeBron, you don’t coach really a Lonzo. They understand the game, they smart, they understand. You can have some input what you’re seeing on the outside, but also the captain of the ship knows how to do what he does. That’s what makes those people special. Lonzo’s IQ is so high and LeBron’s IQ is so high they gonna very good together.”

“I don’t think nobody gets to play with their favorite player. I don’t think nobody gets to do that. He’s in a special situation right here.”

Article Continues Below

Needless to say, Ball put his son in some elite company there. Although the second-year guard has received plenty of praise for his basketball IQ, it is still far-fetched to put it on the same level as James or Magic Johnson. However, the elder Ball has made a career making outlandish statements such as these.

Regardless of the scheme Walton comes up with, there is no doubt that James will have a major influence on it. That said, some serious changes could be in store for Ball. For starters, he will likely need to get accustomed to playing off the ball more with the three-time champ in town. James' arrival could either pay huge dividends for his development or cause Los Angeles to look elsewhere for a better fit. Whatever the case, it is safe to assume the elder Ball will let his opinions on the matter be heard.