LaVar Ball on LiAngelo Being Cut by Pistons: Detroit Is 'Raggedy as Hell'

LaVar Ball called the Detroit Pistons organization "raggedy as hell" after they waived his son, LiAngelo Ball, after he signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract in early December.

The elder Ball was asked about the roster move in a Bleacher Report AMA on Monday afternoon:

"I definitely have thoughts on that. The people in Detroit are great. I love the fans, but the franchise over there is raggedy as hell. They don't know a good player. I was giving them a lottery pick for free! Has the skills to play and the notoriety to bring everybody to the game. How do you throw that out the window? They're gonna learn the hard way. My boys are gonna end up together playing somewhere. 'Gelo can shoot the lights out. That was raggedy what they did. But hey, they're gonna learn the hard way."

Ball didn't play in either of the Pistons' first two preseason games.

The 22-year-old California native was dealing with a right ankle injury, per Jacob Hancock of Sporting News. He underwent ankle surgery last year.

He joined the G League's Oklahoma City Blue as a practice player last December and signed a contract with the club in March. He didn't get to play in any games before the remainder of the season was wiped out because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ball last played professionally during the 2017-18 season alongside his younger brother, LaMelo Ball, with Prienai in the Lithuanian Basketball League. He didn't get selected in the 2018 NBA draft.

The 6'5'', 215-pound shooting guard averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.5 percent from the field across 14 appearances for Prienai. He showed promise as an outside shooter, knocking down 2.4 threes per game while connecting on 41.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

Ball, a 3-star recruit who signed with UCLA, should have a good chance to land another G League opportunity if the NBA's developmental arm resumes play during the 2020-21 season amid the pandemic.