Sadly, it would take most fans more than a few seconds to list the last Los Angeles Lakers lottery draft pick who panned out off the top of their head. From the Dalton Knecht situation that is unfolding right before our very eyes to the Jalen Hood-Schifino draft pick quickly flopping, even back to 2017, when one of the most hyped prospects landed in Los Angeles after a superstar career at UCLA.
Lonzo Ball, still just 28, has not played an NBA game since Feb. 1. Ball’s last game came as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers before he was traded and subsequently waived by the Utah Jazz. No team took a chance on Ball before the playoffs. There was radio silence during the offseason. Now here we are, ready to start another season, and still no movement on Ball’s potential next opportunity.
Former Lakers Star Still Hanging Out in Free Agency
Ball briefly made headlines this offseason when a rumor leaked that the former No. 2 overall pick had retired. Ball quickly shut down the internet swirl with a sharp X post.
“I retired? News to me lol cuz I’m still waiting for a call,” Ball wrote after rumors of his retirement went viral on social media.
Some fans were convinced Ball was stepping away from the game after his comments during a podcast episode were taken out of context.
“I don’t think I ever got to my peak,” Ball said. “It’s like, ‘Damn, that s— sucks.’ But at the same time, there’s a lot of people that don’t have meals at night to eat. That’s how I look at the world. I still got to make it up there, got to play, put the jersey on, and do everything I wanted to do as a kid. That was enough for me to be happy.”
To be fair, it makes sense why some took that as a, ‘Hey, it was nice, but I’m retiring!’ Whether Ball gets another opportunity in the NBA is very much up in the air. Ball played just 35 games for the Cavs last season and averaged a career-low 4.6 points per game while shooting just 30.1 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Why Ball’s NBA Future Might Be Grim
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently spoke about Ball’s career and the likelihood that gets another opportunity. For those wondering why a 28-year-old former second pick has been waiting for a call this long, we present to you Ball’s rich injury history.
“He played with the Cavs last year and he was just really, really not effective,” Windhorst expressed. “The year before in Chicago, he showed some flashes. He’s played like maybe 100 games the last five years total. The challenge with him is the challenge with everybody.”
Struggling to stay available may be the biggest reason why Ball is not in the NBA, but that is just one of two issues.
“The first way you extend your career — I don’t care if you are 6’0”, 6’7” or 7’0” — the way you extend your career is your ability to shoot. … Lonzo can’t shoot,” Windhorst said flatly. “That’s the real challenge with him. It’s hard to give somebody another chance who can’t shoot.”
Ball was once viewed as the Lakers’ potential franchise-changer. Magic Johnson predicted his No. 2 jersey would get raised to the rafters one day. LeBron James gushed that he sees a lot of himself in Ball. He was supposed to be the face of the next generation.
Now Ball is fighting to get back in the league.
Lakers Ex-Star No. 2 Pick Still a Free Agent 8 Months Since Last NBA Game