Lonzo Ball is excited to get a “fresh start” in New Orleans, and wasn’t exactly shocked when the Los Angeles Lakers traded him this summer (along with teammates Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart) in the blockbuster Anthony Davis acquisition.
Ball, 21, says being in the NBA a couple of years prepared him for the possibility of getting moved.
Lonzo adds that he’s looking forward to teaming up with heralded rookie Zion Williamson.
Per ESPN:
“I was kind of excited, honestly,” Ball told ESPN of his first reaction to the trade, after filming Saturday for the PUBG Mobile Team Up Superstar Showdown event. “I kind of figured someone was going to get moved soon enough. I knew Anthony Davis wanted to come bad. Anytime you can get a guy like that, you are going to have to do what you have to do to get him. So I was kind of already just waiting for it, honestly, and I was happy to go with two guys I am comfortable with in B.I. [Brandon Ingram] and JHart [Josh Hart]. I am excited to see what we can do.
“I tell people when I was a rookie, I probably would have been sad,” Ball added of being traded. “Just being from L.A., having my whole family here and wanting to be a Laker. But being in the league for two years, knowing it’s a business, as long you get to play, that’s a blessing in itself. I’m excited to get started.”
On Saturday, the Lakers introduced Davis as their latest All-Star big man to join the franchise. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka opened the news conference by thanking several people, including Ball, Ingram and Hart.
“Obviously, injuries kind of messed up things a little bit,” Ball said of his Lakers tenure. “But you take the bumps with the bruises and keep moving forward. Only been in the league for two years and looking forward to this third year in New Orleans, get a fresh start and show people what I can do.
“I know New Orleans is excited to have me, and I’m excited to get started,” Ball added. “Moving to a new team, a new situation, a new organization, new coaches, new everything — it’s a refresh, getting back to playing basketball how I know I can play.”
