DALLAS _ Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle sounded off on an ESPN report Sunday that sourced Lakers' forward Lorenzo Ball's father, Lavar Ball, as stating that Los Angeles coach Luke Walton had "lost the team."
The story from ESPN writer Jeff Goodman, datelined out of Lithuania where Ball's other sons are playing professionally, appeared on its digital platform and Carlisle was asked about it.
"As president of the NBA Coaches Association, I view the ESPN article as a disgrace," Carlisle said. "Luke Walton is a terrific young coach bringing along a young team."
He went on to suggest ESPN, as a television partner of the NBA, had violated the trust of NBA coaches.
"We do a lot to make certain they have access and they should back up the coaches," he said.
Challenged to clarify by ESPN's Tim McMahon, if Carlisle was suggesting that ESPN should run news based on what coach's will like, he said, Carlisle said, "No I'm saying they should look at their sources and do a better job of determining if their sources have any merit or any validity or are they just blow hard loud mouths."
The Lakers are 11-27. They played a late Sunday night home game against Atlanta.
Ball's son Liangelo withdrew from UCLA without playing for the Bruins after he was arrested by Chinese authorities for shoplifting last fall.
President Donald Trump asked the Chinese government to release Ball and two other UCLA players who were being detained.
Ball denied Trump's statements on the case, sparking a social media battle between the two.
The Lakers visit the Mavericks on Jan. 13.
