Lonzo Ball Says Trade Rumors This Offseason Didn't Bother Him

Lonzo Ball heard the trade rumors as the Los Angeles Lakers prepared to sign LeBron James.

They didn't bother him one bit.

"There's trade rumors every year. … Athletes in general, you're never really 100 percent safe, wherever you're at. Anything can happen, especially in the offseason, so all I can do is just make sure I'm ready to play at the best of my abilities," Ball said on Ball in the Family (h/t USA Today's Lonzo Wire).

Ball never seemed to be in danger of getting dealt. Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post reported the San Antonio Spurs did not have any interest in acquiring Ball in potential deals for Kawhi Leonard. The Lakers have not pursued any major trades this offseason aside from Leonard.

Lonzo's father, LaVar Ball, commented on the trade rumors, calling a potential Lonzo trade the "worst move" the Lakers could ever make.

"If they wanna trade him, trade him," Ball said in an interview with TMZ Sports. "It'll be the worst move they ever made. ... If they wanna trade him, trade him. If they don't wanna trade him, keep him. He's gonna do his thing. I'm not worried about no trades."

Ball, 20, averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game as a rookie. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft and came to Los Angeles with the pressure of becoming the next face of the franchise.

That distinction now belongs to James, who surprisingly signed with the Lakers in July. The Lakers signed Rajon Rondo to compete with Ball for the starting point guard job. Rondo has said he hopes to help in Lonzo's development.

"Whatever they ask me, you know, my main objective is to win," Rondo told TMZ Sports. "I'm ready to help develop Lonzo as much as possible. If I'm not starting and he's starting, he's going to be ready to go and ready for anybody that comes his way. And we'll be ready to roll."

Whatever the case, it does not appear Lonzo is going to have too many issues with rumors about himself.