After Jeanie Buss drained the Lakers executive swamp she chose Magic Johnson to lead the organization to dry land and become winners again which raises the question… IS HE ON THE BALL with LONZO? - (Game changers screen shot) LAKERS JEANIE BUSS… DRAINING THE LAKERS SWAMP?

Can Lonzo Ball produce enough in his rookie season to attract LeBron James and Paul to be his teammates? LeBron James - (NBA photo) Paul George - (NBA photo) Magic Johnson back in the day - Maxi Basket photo

SPORTS NOTES - BALLS TO THE WALL with LAKERS

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Saturday, July 15, 2017

BALL & JAMES could be MAGIC

There could be a lot to say about the highly touted 19-year-old Lonzo Ball BUT his father LaVar, has already said it. The major concern about LaVar spouting off about what his son could do raised concerns… is dear old dad talking too much thus loading up the pressure on his son to produce. The most notable quip was Lonzo was the answer to having a new edition of Magic Johnson.

In Lonzo's first NBA Summer League game he was a nightmare and the concern's about LaVar's overt boasts were questioned by many. Lonzo's second game was a bit better but not up to the level of his fathers praises. Both Ball's reacted by being unconcerned about the lack of the youth's production.

Due to an injury Lonzo missed a couple of games. Then came the turnaround when the highly touted great expectations came to fruition.

The leagues best player, LeBron James was in attendance at the Lakers Summer League game in Las Vegas when Ball finally produced by putting up Magic Johnson like numbers with a 36 point, 11 assist, eight rebound, five steals and two blocks performance in a 103-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ball abandoned wearing his Big Baller Brand $495 shoes in favor of a pair of Kobe Bryant style Nikes. That got the media's attention and they roared with it giving Ball another lesson in the type of criticism he will have to deal with from the media who are chink in the armor hungry.

Ball's stifled his critics by displaying another day of maturity and being cool under fire. This attribute of being able to shrug bad games off and improve and produce under fire is a credit to his father.

LaVar claims that he trained his son's basketball skills which he taught them until they entered high school. At this point his greatest contribution appears to be having instilled in Lonzo a tough mentality to be able to handle pressure.

That story is astonishing but what is more noteworthy is THE BACK STORY.

LeBron's presence at Lonzo's break out performance in a professional game raises the bar of LaVar's wish that LeBron join up with his son on the Lakers. Although LaVar made some comments about his son's play better basketball than LeBron's could result in just being water washing under a damn. James commented that Lonzo could pass the ball something that James has been lacking in Cleveland.

Stage two of this scenario is Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson has been cleaning house since he took over the helm at midseason. Johnson has moved older and controversial players to make room for a new edition of the Lakers emphasizing youth to compliment Ball.

Gone are veterans Nick Young, Lou Williams. Gone are the controversial players D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez.

Russell created a commotion that led to some uneasiness on the Lakers squad when he tweeted that his teammate Young was cheating on his girlfriend Iggy Azalea.

The 21-year-old Russell, the second overall pick in the 2015 draft who averaged 15.6 points and 4.8 assists this past season but was viewed as immature and having created problems.

Mosgov was considered a bust and way overpaid. Mozgov is entering the second year of a four-year, $64 million contract. That huge contract paid to him and veteran Loul Deng was the explosion that set off the dismissal of those responsible for their deals former Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and decision-maker/part owner Jim Buss. Both are gone but not forgotten.

The Lakers are going in a youth direction with Ball and 19-year-old second year man Brandon Ingram being the centerpiece.

LaVar insists that the combination of Ball and James (sounds like a band) would be the imputes for the Lakers to again win championship titles and respect return to respectability while leaving behind their most recent reputation of being a loser and disgraced franchise.

James was impressed with Ball's passing skills which is something the he misses in Cleveland that impelled him to request at midseason, for the club to trade for a passing guard, is telling.

This season the Cavs top assist maker was, a forward not a point guard. The prospect of him having someone set up plays and pass to him would be a blessing to the aging James who is about to enter his declining years of his NBA career. That load would be off his shoulders and he could add years to his career with his load lightened and remain dangerously productive.

The other appeal to being a Laker is James being involved with Hollyweird by having an entertainment production company. He has connections there with Harvey Mason Jr., the producer of the documentary 'More Than a Game' about him and his high school teammates, being involved in Hollyweird's entertainment scene.

James has a home there which was vandalized this year, when he wasn't there. The vandals painted the not so affectionate N WORD (nigger) on his front gate. Apparently James love is lacking from some of his possible, LA fans.

The enhanced appeal is that prospect of James finishing his career near his production business could be the game changer to seal the deal… LaVar or not.

Ball & James plus Ingram could be the required big three stars that it takes to win NBA titles. The young new edition of the Lakers big three combinations augmented with Lopez that combination could make the Lakers soundly seasoned and solid.

The other benefit is Ball could be tutored by his two favorite NBA idols James and Magic. Paul George is another prospect in the Lakers pipeline. It's rumored that George is interested in returning to his hometown to play for the Lakers. George is from Palmdale which is roughly 60 miles from LA.

The addition to George to the mix could make the new Lakers to comparisons of the Lakers Showtime teams of the 80's that won five NBA titles during that decade.

It's an interesting scenario and the Lakers housecleaning is still in progress. Should Magic pull this off and bring all of these players together to win NBA titles could result in Lakers fans singing 'Could This be Magic.' The best bet is to…. STAY TUNED and see what happens.

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