Lakers news: Lonzo Ball 'sent message' with Rajon Rondo signing - Woj
GETTY The Lakers signed point guard Rajon Rondo to challenge Lonzo Ball in the starting five
It emerged earlier this week that Ball suffered a torn meniscus late in the season, requiring surgery to repair the damaged joint. The former No 2 draft pick is expected to be declared fit in time for training camp later this year, however the timing of the news raised questions about how the information became public knowledge. It had been suggested that Ball’s camp had leaked the news to the media in the hope of dissuading rival teams to trade for the 20-year-old. Ball has been mooted as a potential trade chip in the Lakers’ pursuit of Spurs star Kawhi Leonard but the California native will be desperate to remain a part of the franchise given the arrival of LeBron James this week.
GETTY Lonzo Ball is desperate for a chance to play alongside LeBron James next season
Shortly after news of Ball’s injury made its way online, the Lakers announced the signing of unrestricted free agent Rajon Rondo on a one-year $9m deal – a move Wojnarowski claimed was a thinly-veiled message to the Ball camp. “This is a message to Lonzo Ball,” Woj said. “His injury, that knee injury, there is a belief around the Lakers that it was within his world that got leaked out there to keep him from being traded. He does not want to be traded. “It wasn’t the Lakers who wanted information out on that knee injury. There were a lot of teams who where checking on possible deals with the Lakers.
GETTY Lonzo Ball was selected by the Lakers with the second pick in the 2017 Draft