The Boston Celtics are expected to draft Washington guard Markelle Fultz first overall in this year’s draft. Still, the Celtics would have liked to take a close look at UCLA guard Lonzo Ball. That interest wasn’t mutual, Celtics GM said on sports radio 98.5 The Sport’s Hub’s “Toucher and Rich” program (Transcribed by ESPN’s Chris Forsberg):
“We tried to get [Ball] in,” Ainge told the “Toucher and Rich” program while Boston’s front-office staff traveled for a draft workout in New York that included Duke’s Harry Giles and Kentucky’s Malik Monk.
“We don’t deal with [Ball’s camp] all that much. They didn’t show up at the combine, which is very common — many of the top 10 or 15 players don’t show up for the [NBA’s] combine. … We just tried to get him in for a workout and they politely said no.”
Given that Lonzo’s father LaVar recently said that his son will only work out for the Lakers, this is hardly a surprise.
The Ball family clearly wants to stay in Los Angeles, despite the fact that spurning the team with the first overall draft pick could have significant financial implications, as Forsberg notes:
The difference on a guaranteed rookie wage scale contract between the No. 1 and No. 2 picks is $2,202,900, according to the collective bargaining agreement. The difference could be more striking if income tax is considered; California has the highest state taxes in the United States at 13.3 percent for the highest bracket, while Massachusetts’ taxes are 5.1 percent.
It’s always seemed unlikely that Ball would be drafted over Fultz, and this all but seals it. Lonzo wants to be on the Lakers, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Lonzo – or more likely, LaVar – threaten to have Lonzo play overseas or something should Boston pick him, á la Kobe Bryant with the Brooklyn Nets in the 1996 draft.
