Lonzo Ball hasn't been able to make an on-court case for another NBA contract in recent months, but the former second overall pick might be trying to use his words to stake his claim for a spot on the Golden State Warriors.
Ball was linked to a move to the Warriors after he was traded to, then waived by the Utah Jazz in February, but a signing didn't take place and the 28-year-old is now facing an uphill battle to secure another opportunity in the league.
Lonzo Ball makes latest case to join Warriors with Stephen Curry claim
Speaking positively about the franchise superstar -- Stephen Curry -- may at least be a start to growing your reputation with the organization and among fans. That's just what Ball did on a recent episode of the Ball in the Family podcast, elevating the 2x MVP above Jalen Brunson despite the New York Knicks star having led his team to an historic championship just last week.
In a conversation that stemmed to the Team USA roster for the 2028 Olympics, Ball responded that he'd still have Curry as the starting point guard over Brunson, even though the former will be 40-years-old by the time it rolls around.
“Let me tell you this, if Chef comes -- Brunson had a tremendous finals by the way -- but I gotta go Steph," Ball said.
Is Jalen Brunson the best player ever under 6 feet? 👀 pic.twitter.com/smM8ofDg2w
— Ball In The Family Podcast (@ballinthefampod) June 19, 2026
Ball is clearly a Curry fan and based on the reports that circulated just after the mid-season trade deadline, there was some interest in a move to the Bay that would have landed him with his fifth NBA team.
Golden State instead looked internally by converting Pat Spencer's two-way contract to the main roster, while also cycling through Omer Yurtseven and Charles Bassey as backup big men on 10-day contracts.
Warriors still need quality reserve guard behind Stephen Curry
The Warriors haven't really had a quality backup point guard on their roster since Chris Paul's departure in 2024, and that's something they may need to address this summer given Curry's age and the fact he missed 27-straight games toward the end of this past season.
Golden State could certainly do with an upgrade from Spencer who, while he's had some positive moments and big games, should ideally only be considered a third point guard who's needed when Curry is unavailable.
At his best Ball's versatility could have made him a perfect backup guard and even someone who could play alongside Curry, but it's unlikely the Warriors show too much interest this summer given his injury history and how that's seemingly impacted his play on the floor.
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