Lonzo Ball says he’s a scapegoat, but numbers say otherwise

There is struggling, and then there is whatever season Lonzo Ball has turned in.

Ball was salary-dumped by the Cavaliers, waived by the Jazz, and is currently without a job. That part is not debatable. What is debatable, apparently, is why.

On his podcast this week, Ball said he does not believe he played as poorly as critics suggest and called himself the scapegoat.

That is a tough sell.

Ball shot 30.1 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from three. Both numbers are rough. Historically rough. He did not offset it at the line, either, hitting 66.7 percent on limited attempts.

Yes, he averaged 3.9 assists per game with the Cavs. That counts. It just does not come close to balancing out the rest.

Even for a player who has never been known as a shooter, these were the worst shooting marks of Ball’s career. And shooting is not a scheme issue or a chemistry issue. The ball is in your hands. The result is what it is.

If Ball was the scapegoat, it is fair to ask for what. The Cavs kept winning anyway. Craig Porter Jr. emerged and quietly solved the backup point guard problem.

This is not about blame. It is about performance. Right now, the numbers are speaking louder than the podcast.