Lonzo Ball addressed criticism of his play this season, saying he believes the reaction to his struggles has been overstated.
“I don’t feel like I’m playing as badly as people are saying. I know I’m the scapegoat right now. But look, that comes with the name though and that comes with what they brought me in for,” Ball said on the Ball in the Family Podcast, via ClutchPoints.
The 28-year-old guard was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 6, 2025, in exchange for Isaac Okoro. He was later dealt to the Utah Jazz on February 5, 2026, and waived the same day.
Ball’s numbers in Cleveland reflect a reduced role and a shooting dip. In 35 games, including three starts, he averaged 4.6 points, 3.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 20.8 minutes while shooting 30.1 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from three.
“I’m not gonna say I’m playing great. But to me, I’m just missing shots, for real. People are always saying, ‘Shooting 25%.’ All right, let’s actually take the percentages and let’s talk about what that is. That’s four shots a game. Sh***y, but I promise we aren’t winning or losing games off of four shots,” Ball said.
Cleveland sits fourth in the Eastern Conference at 34-21 and has won five straight games. The club ranks among the top teams in defensive rating during that stretch, which places a premium on ball security and perimeter containment from its guards.
Ball has averaged 5.0 field-goal attempts per game this season, his lowest volume since his rookie year. From a basketball standpoint, low usage combined with inconsistent minutes can magnify shooting percentages over small samples.
“Can I play better? Yes. Have I been playing terribly? I don’t think I have,” Ball added.
Over seven NBA seasons, the former No. 2 overall pick has averaged 10.6 points, 5.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game. His most efficient year came in 2021-22 with the Chicago Bulls, when he shot 42.3 percent from three before a knee injury sidelined him for the following two seasons.
Since returning in 2024-25, Ball has played 70 combined games across Chicago and Cleveland. His role has shifted toward secondary playmaking and point-of-attack defense rather than primary scoring.
Ball is now a free agent following his waiver in Utah.
