Lakers ink rookie Ball to four-year deal
Los Angeles Lakers draft pick Lonzo Ball, right, and Magic Johnson smile as they answer questions during the NBA basketball team’s news conference, Friday, June 23, 2017, in El Segundo, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
LOS ANGELES—The struggling Los Angeles Lakers have signed second overall draft pick Lonzo Ball to a multi-million dollar, four-year contract, the NBA team announced on Monday.
No details were released but the deal is expected to be worth about $30 million which is the allowable amount for a No. 2 overall pick under the collective bargaining agreement.
Lakers new team president Magic Johnson described the 19-year-old Ball as the “new face of the franchise” at a news conference last month.
READ: Family affair: Lakers grab Lonzo Ball with 2nd overall pick
The Lakers are in desperate need of offensive help as they finished with the second worst record in the Western Conference after winning just 26 games last season. They finished 41 games back of the first place Golden State Warriors in the Pacific Division.
“You have to have a great leader and somebody that can make their teammates better and somebody that has incredible basketball IQ,” Johnson said.
READ: Lonzo Ball ‘blessed’ to play for Lakers, Johnson
“He is somebody that can get his teammates to follow.”
Ball averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists per game as a US college player last season.
The Lakers also signed forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Josh Hart.
