The longer Lonzo Ball remains a free agent after the trade deadline, the less chance of the former second overall pick landing with the Golden State Warriors.
Ball was linked to the Warriors nearly two weeks ago after being waived by the Utah Jazz, but things have gone quiet on that front and the 28-year-old has now spoken out on his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers and his NBA future.
Lonzo Ball believes he was the scapegoat in Cleveland
Ball was a big trade addition for the Cavaliers in the offseason, only for the franchise to essentially dump the veteran guard after only 35 games in a trade for salary cap relief prior to this month's deadline.
Ball believes he was made to be the scapegoat for Cleveland's underwhelming form to start the season, and has slammed critics on social media who've given scathing assessments of his game right now.
"I know I'm the scapegoat right now but that comes with the name, though," Ball said. "Can I play better? Yes," he added. "Have I been playing terrible? I don't think I have. I've been shooting bad."
How Zo’s been playing lately… the real breakdown 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/uKl8G56lvH
— Ball In The Family Podcast (@ballinthefampod) February 17, 2026
The shooting numbers certainly don't lie, with Ball making just 30.1% of his field-goal attempts in his time with the Cavaliers, including just 27.2% from 3-point range -- easily down on his 35.5% career mark from beyond the arc.
While those numbers are hard to deny, Ball's game has always been about more than just putting the ball in the basket. He's a high level defender, strong rebounder for his position and an elite passer, having still averaged 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes per game with the Cavaliers this season.
It's that versatile skillset that may have had the Warriors interested in Ball at some point, albeit many would argue that this roster needs an infuision of scoring first and foremost after Jimmy Butler's season-ending knee injury.
Speaking of knee injuries, Ball stated that he's physically feeling solid and moving well, having missed nearly three full calendar years with a major and recurring knee injury. The former Lakers guard has appeared in 70 combined games for the Cavaliers and previously the Chicago Bulls since his return in October, 2024.
Ball is still awaiting his next NBA home for the remainder of this season and hopefully beyond, but the Warriors' addition of Nate Williams to a two-way contract could signal that the former UCLA product won't be landing in the Bay Area.