NBA Rumors: Lonzo Ball Prefers Being A Laker Over Moving To Chicago Or Phoenix

One NBA star who will be in the radar this free agency is Lonzo Ball. There is a growing belief that he will be one of the players on the Los Angeles Lakers roster exiting although the 21-year-old guard prefers to stick around.

Apparently, he was not smitten by all that NBA trade talk that cropped up back in February. Ball was one of the multiple players offered to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis. And as most know by now, that deal never materialized. It was also singled out as the reason why the Lakers failed to make it to the playoffs - likely also the reason why Earvin "Magic" Johnson decided to step down as team president.

“There was a lot of stuff that just started coming out. Obviously, I wanted to be in LA, but at the end of the day, I just want to play. Wherever that may be, it wasn’t a big deal to me. My primary choice is to stay,” Ball said when he appeared on the House of Highlights.

To recall, Ball was not exactly enthusiastic about the idea of playing for the Pelicans. Instead, he wanted to join a team that was in dire need of a point guard. Two teams were on his mind - the Chicago Bulls or the Phoenix Suns. But with the smoke clear, the former second overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft prefers to stay with the Lakers instead, Lakers Nation reported.

Looking ahead, that may not be Ball's call. A new head coach could have the final say after proper deliberation with general manager Rob Pelinka and team owner Jeanie Buss. As of this writing, there are three candidates for the position - Tyronn Lue, Monty Williams, and Juwan Howard. The Lakers reportedly want a second meeting with Lue and Williams while a meeting with Howard is set for Tuesday, ESPN reported.

One thing that could factor in for Ball is his health. He is coming off yet another injury-riddled season although he has shown tremendous improvement on the defensive side. His unorthodox shooting stroke continues to gain criticism although he can try and improve that now that he is on vacation.

The Los Angeles area has always been home to Ball. After finishing his high school career at Chino Hills, Ball stayed local and took his talents to UCLA. But now, he has to wait for the Lakers next move as far as tweaking the roster is concerned.