Lavar pulls LaMelo and LiAngelo out of Lithuania

[XxIronChainzxX]

IMO, the best part of the article was the clear shot across the bow:

LiAngelo has declared for June's NBA draft, where he's not anticipated to be selected. Ball said that there is no chance that youngest son LaMelo will return to Lithuania.

[Kerrsed]

Magic is going to have get rid of Lonzo like.

Seriously, who wants to deal with this headache

They should trade him to Phoenix and get their top 5 pick in exchange. Trade top 5 pick and Randle for Kawhi. Sign Bron and/or another big free agent.

The thought of you thinking the Suns would trade their 1st for Lonzo make me chuckle.

Suns want nothing to do with any of the Balls.

[sule]

LiAngelo may get to the G-League if he's lucky.

LaMelo is the one that you have to be more worried about since he actually has some skill.

Lonzo needs to make sure his father doesn't become (more) of an impediment or he could see himself on the outer i think in L.A.

I said this before in the Big Baller Megathread, but i'll say it again. Now that Lonzo is the breadwinner in the family, he needs to step up and take the reigns from his irrational and irreparably brand-hurting father, and take his brothers under his wing. He should use his position in the NBA to help leverage them offers in either the G-League or overseas in Turkey or EuroLeague, where they can get some development while attempting to come over to the NBA.

Lavar Ball has not only destroyed their NBA development, but he's slowly eroding any opportunities they could have coming to them in the future, from either the NBA or other leagues. It's bad enough he took them out of school, ruining any possibilities of at least starting an education, but he's slowly destroying their future career prospects for his own short-term whims and moods.

Lonzo needs to step up and push his father out the way.

I'm sure if he did that, the Lakers organization would at least help put in a good word for his brothers as a gesture of goodwill.

[UcanUwill]

Dude assumed since its Lithuania, his scrub sons will be dropping 40 a game. Good luck with your NBA pipe dream, I bet Vytautas fans wont miss you 3 at all.

[LakersSoul]

Basketball club BC Vytautas told 24 Sek's Donatas Urbonas that both LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball are set to leave Lithuania next week, with two games remaining in the team's season. Their father LaVar confirmed this to Urbonas.

"We're not going to waste our time no more", LaVar is quoted as saying. "I just didn't get along with the coach," he added.

https://www.thescore.com/news/1534127

Smart decision.

LiAngelo needs to come back for the NBA draft.
LaMelo would be wasting his time with that coach and team that will get relegated to 2nd class.

LaMelo has a better option to play in college or better yet for the LaVar league or even just head to g-league if possible.

[Batu7]

Basketball club BC Vytautas told 24 Sek's Donatas Urbonas that both LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball are set to leave Lithuania next week, with two games remaining in the team's season. Their father LaVar confirmed this to Urbonas.

"We're not going to waste our time no more", LaVar is quoted as saying. "I just didn't get along with the coach," he added.

https://www.thescore.com/news/1534127

Smart decision.

LiAngelo needs to come back for the NBA draft.
LaMelo would be wasting his time with that coach and team that will get relegated to 2nd class.

LaMelo has a better option to play in college or better yet for the LaVar league or even just head to g-league if possible.

I don't think that is technically possible anymore.

[Spens1]

LiAngelo may get to the G-League if he's lucky.

LaMelo is the one that you have to be more worried about since he actually has some skill.

Lonzo needs to make sure his father doesn't become (more) of an impediment or he could see himself on the outer i think in L.A.

I said this before in the Big Baller Megathread, but i'll say it again. Now that Lonzo is the breadwinner in the family, he needs to step up and take the reigns from his irrational and irreparably brand-hurting father, and take his brothers under his wing. He should use his position in the NBA to help leverage them offers in either the G-League or overseas in Turkey or EuroLeague, where they can get some development while attempting to come over to the NBA.

Lavar Ball has not only destroyed their NBA development, but he's slowly eroding any opportunities they could have coming to them in the future, from either the NBA or other leagues. It's bad enough he took them out of school, ruining any possibilities of at least starting an education, but he's slowly destroying their future career prospects for his own short-term whims and moods.

Lonzo needs to step up and push his father out the way.

I'm sure if he did that, the Lakers organization would at least help put in a good word for his brothers as a gesture of goodwill.

can't disagree with that. Maybe his father will see what he has done and then keep quiet.

LaMelo needs to stay in europe perhaps or if they're going to the G-League, perhaps somewhere else other than L.A. could be a good option.

I'm all for a Lavar Ball ban (ban him from games, the practice facility, HQ, whatever).

[stevegb]

Jeez at this rate which country would even give them a chance to play basketball for money? They (LiAngello and LeMelo) wont be good enough for the states, China wouldn't have them back you'd think, this stunt probably ruins their chances at EU... I really hope they don't come to AU.

[alexb618]

I said this before in the Big Baller Megathread, but i'll say it again. Now that Lonzo is the breadwinner in the family, he needs to step up and take the reigns from his irrational and irreparably brand-hurting father, and take his brothers under his wing. He should use his position in the NBA to help leverage them offers in either the G-League or overseas in Turkey or EuroLeague, where they can get some development while attempting to come over to the NBA.

liangelo could be a 2nd rounder if he declares, lamelo is definitely not g-league talent though, needs to develop iq in a serious (ie, not just highlight reel) high school level league

[benson13]

It's great that Lonzo turned out well, but it looks like he really screwed LaMelo. LaMelo was a 5 star guy who would have been all over NBA radars. He still has 2 years before he can enter the draft, right? what is he going to do? Playing in his dad's crappy league?

Yah. Those kids needed a better direction than what Lavar is providing them.

Lamelo should just sign with a Euro team.

Liangelo too.

There is nothing for them back in the regulated US where kid athletes can't make money in the NCAA but a full ride scholarship kid for academics can go get a job and make money anywhere.

There's nothing preventing student athletes from getting jobs. They just can't make money off their sport or the celebrity that comes with playing it.

I think LaMelo is being irreversibly damaged by all this. He's made money so his amateur status is lost, meaning he can't play high school and he won't be allowed to play in college. Now he's leaving his Euro team. Despite what his father and his high school stats say, he's not NBA ready. He's not even G-League ready. He's 16 years old and his basketball development is being stunted, and he's burning bridges everywhere he goes. He needs to find another Euro team that will take him and sign regardless of what his father says. The worst thing he can do right now is not play.