Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson has some things he wants to see more of from Lonzo Ball next season.
Ball’s rookie season was a mixed bag, as the guard averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game. Johnson wants to see more in Ball’s second season — both in terms of tangibles and intangibles.
Lonzo Ball was “a master” at setting up teammates, Magic said, but more scoring is needed from him next season.
“Now he has to be selfish,” Magic said. “He has to look to score.”
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 13, 2018
Magic also wants Lonzo Ball to be more vocal next season.
“He’s got to step up into that leadership role,” Magic said. “In crucial moments, he has to say something.”
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 13, 2018
Perhaps that means Johnson would like to see Ball reverse this recent decision. The Lakers didn’t draft him No. 2 overall for him to be a good passer — they want a franchise player who can score, assist, and lead the team. Nobody should have reasonably expected that from day one, but it’s clear that Johnson will be looking for growth in those departments in the years to come.
