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DALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 07: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 07, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball is still waiting for his next NBA opportunity, but the former No. 2 overall pick appears to be putting plenty of work in while he waits.
Ball posted an Instagram video on August 31 showing himself seated on a weight bench and curling a pair of 100-pound dumbbells.
“I ain’t no peewee… Big Guard lol,” Ball wrote in the caption.
The clip is notable beyond the weight on the dumbbells. Ball remains an unrestricted free agent entering September, leaving the 28-year-old without a team as NBA training camps draw closer.
For a player whose career has been altered dramatically by injuries, any glimpse of Ball putting his body through demanding offseason work carries extra relevance.
Lonzo Ball Remains Available After Cavaliers Exit
Ball last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2025-26 season, appearing in 35 games and averaging 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals.
His efficiency was a bigger concern. Ball shot 30.1% from the field and 27.2% from three-point range, both well below the production he showed before his extended injury absence.
Cleveland traded Ball to the Utah Jazz in February as part of a three-team deal also involving the Atlanta Hawks. Utah waived him shortly afterward, sending him back onto the open market.
Ball has remained unsigned since then.
That makes the timing of his latest workout worth watching. It does not indicate that a signing is imminent, and there is no evidence from the post that the Lakers or any other specific NBA team is pursuing him. But players on the veteran free-agent market are increasingly competing for training-camp opportunities as the offseason winds down.
Ball’s Physical Condition Has Defined His Comeback
Ball’s ability to get back on an NBA court at all has already required one of the more unusual injury comebacks in recent league history.
He missed the entire 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons because of problems with his left knee. Ball eventually underwent a cartilage and meniscus transplant in March 2023 after previous procedures failed to resolve the injury. He returned to NBA action with the Chicago Bulls during the 2024-25 season.
That history is why a clip of Ball handling 100-pound dumbbells stands out more than the typical offseason workout post.
It does not answer the larger questions teams must have about his durability, lateral movement or ability to handle an NBA schedule. It does, however, show Ball continuing to train months after his Cavaliers tenure ended rather than disappearing from view as his free agency stretches deeper into the summer.
Ball himself emphasized the importance of strength work after joining Cleveland in 2025, saying at the time that he was focused on staying in the weight room and keeping his lower body strong.
Former Lakers No. 2 Pick Is Trying to Extend His Career
The Lakers selected Ball second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft after his lone season at UCLA.
He spent two seasons in Los Angeles before becoming one of the central pieces sent to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis trade.
Ball has since played for the Pelicans, Bulls and Cavaliers, compiling career averages of 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists across 322 regular-season games.
At this stage, Ball’s next opportunity would likely be less about his status as a former No. 2 pick and more about whether a team believes he can provide defense, passing and backcourt depth while staying available.
His latest workout cannot settle that question.
But with September arriving and Ball still unsigned, it does send one clear message: the former Lakers guard is continuing to prepare as if another NBA opportunity is coming.
Erik C. Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, NFL, MLB and trading card market for Heavy.com. His coverage focuses on breaking news, trade rumors, roster moves, player contracts and the stories driving national fan conversation. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today and ESPN. More about Erik C. Anderson
