Lonzo Ball entered the NBA under the scrutiny of being the No. 2 overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the heir apparent to the point guard position on a franchise rich with a history of greatness there, the likes of Magic Johnson and Jerry West having run the point in L.A. His father’s constant marketing of Ball as the “best player in the world” added even more pressure.



With all that to contend with, he fell short of expectations in his two seasons as a Laker while dealing with injuries, game fitness and plenty of off-court talking points.



Ball understood a trade was possible as the 2018-19 season reached mid-March, and sure enough the Lakers sent him, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and a package of draft picks to New Orleans for Anthony Davis in June.



He arrives knowing that the Pelicans are Zion Williamson’s team, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Two training camps ago, that was the mandate thrust upon Ball,...