LaVar wants Suns, not Pelicans if Lonzo dealt
Adrian Wojnarowski reports on the latest in the Anthony Davis trade discussions, including the Lakers’ continued pursuit of AD. (1:38)
As trade talks pick up between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans, LaVar Ball said he does not want to see son Lonzo Ball in New Orleans.
The Lakers have improved their offer to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, but New Orleans has been made aware of a “handful” of teams Davis would be willing to sign with outside of the Lakers or Knicks.
“We want to be in L.A.,” LaVar Ball told ESPN about his son’s future. “But if he’s traded, I don’t want Lonzo in New Orleans. Phoenix is the best fit for him. And I am going to speak it into existence.”
As the Feb. 7 trade deadline rapidly approaches, the Lakers are pursuing Anthony Davis, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Lakers are offering the Pelicans multiple young players, including Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma, to go with draft picks and salary-cap relief.
Ball, drafted second overall by the Lakers in 2017, wants to remain a Laker. He starred in high school at Chino Hills before playing one year at UCLA. But if Ball is going to be traded, LaVar Ball would rather see his son run point in Phoenix, where the Suns have been playing shooting guard Devin Booker at point guard. New Orleans has Jrue Holiday at point guard.
In addition to having Booker as the franchise’s star, Phoenix drafted center Deandre Ayton with the top pick overall in last year’s draft. Phoenix certainly could use an athletic, pass-first point guard like Ball.
The Suns’ starting point guards average 8.6 points per game, the fewest among starting point guards in the league. That number drops to 6.9 points per game and 3.6 assists per game when taking out the games Booker started at point guard.
Ball has missed the past six games with a Grade 3 ankle sprain that will keep him out until late February at the earliest. He’s averaging 9.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in his second season.