As the Los Angeles Lakers host the Atlanta Hawks, they are looking to end a nine-game losing streak. With Lonzo Ball returning against the Charlotte Hornets after missing six games with a shoulder injury, LaVar Ball believes head coach Luke Walton has lost the team's locker room.
Following shootaround, the 20-year-old was asked about his father's comments about Walton according to Bill Oram of Orange County Register:
Lonzo Ball on whether he is happy with Luke Walton as Lakers head coach: “I’ll play for anybody.” pic.twitter.com/9mSQFmReQo
— Bill Oram (@billoram) January 7, 2018
While most will naturally dissect Ball's response, the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft is very brief with his responses to the media and only cares about winning games. With a young team playing in one of the biggest markets, it will be interesting to see how they handle the outside noise, especially Ball's father.
Earlier in the 2017-18 NBA season, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka reportedly asked Ball's father to tone down his public criticism of Walton. With these latest comments, it remains to be seen how the team's front office will address the latest situation.
After a challenging December where the Lakers became the second-worst team in the league, they will have an opportunity to end their losing streak against the Hawks, who are just below them in the standings. While there will continue to be debates about Walton's coaching, it does not excuse the team's recent effort, especially on defense.