Los Angeles Lakers

Lonzo Ball should thank Clippers PG Patrick Beverley for giving him the business Thursday night ... 'cause in the long-run, it's really a good thing -- so says Master P.

We got P -- a HUGE NBA fan -- droppin' knowledge on Lonzo's debut at LAX ... telling us the Lakers rookie will only get better when grinders like Beverley beat him up.

The good news for Lonzo ... he's gonna get it all season long -- there's a LONG LIST of NBA stars looking to take a piece of his ass.

Lonzo Ball needs to back up his dad's trash talk or it's gonna be a looong season ... so says Kenny Smith.

The "Inside the NBA" star says LaVar Ball's antics have "put a bullseye" right on Lonzo's back -- and Patrick Beverley ain't gonna be the only one who's gonna take a shot.

The good news for Lonzo ... Kenny says it's "just one game" and he'll shut up the haters if he bounces back strong.

John Wall saw this coming from a mile away ... telling us back in Feb. that NBA players like Patrick Beverley are gonna come for Lonzo Ball all season long to "leave a statement."

He was right.

Back when LaVar Ball was first firing up the Lonzo-hype machine, we spoke with Wall about how LaVar's braggadocious statements could affect the Lakers rookie on the court.

Wall told us LaVar's comments would add "fuel to the fire" for Lonzo's opponents, explaining:

"A lot of people try to leave a statement, you know let 'em know how the league is ... especially if they're gonna be going against him for the next couple years."

Beverley was DEFINITELY trying to send a message Thursday night -- beating up on Lonzo the entire game in a dominating Clippers victory.

And it sounds like it ain't gonna get easier for Ball as the season moves along ...

Kobe Bryant went all Globetrotter during a Nike photo shoot -- hitting a sweet bounce shot while one of the models captured the whole thing on video.

Mamba was with Neymar, Winnie Harlow and mega-designer Riccardo Tisci to shoot a NikeLab X RT collection promo ... when Winnie handed him the rock.

Kobe did Kobe things ... made the shot (nothin' but net) ... and the place went crazy!

He wasn't done though ... Kobe then took a shot from wayyyy downtown (behind the HALF COURT LINE) and hit again.

What did Snoop Dogg think of Lonzo Ball's NBA debut??

"I think his father put him in the lion's den with some pork-chop drawers on."

Snoop kept it all the way real on Kevin Garnett's "Area 21" post-game show -- after Lonzo managed just 3 points against the Clippers in the Lakers' home opener.

Check out the clip -- Snoop thinks Lonzo can be good, but he needs to change his attitude ASAP or he'll continue to get stomped by guys like Patrick Beverley.

KG ain't ready to throw in the towel on Lonzo either -- but says Ball is already at a crossroads and needs to make some serious life choices.

Marcelo Huertas had a rough run with the L.A. Lakers ... and now he's clapping back at his former team and the NBA for how they coddle their superstars.

"In the NBA, players are babies ... everyone is afraid of dealing with the athletes," Huertas told Brazilian hoops blog Bala na Cesta.

"That's not a thing in Europe. If you step over the line, you're punished athletically, financially, you're thrown out, suspended, whatever the hell. That doesn't exist in the NBA. I would see things and say, 'There's no way this is possible."'

Marcelo -- a Euroleague veteran -- says his 2 seasons with the Lakers were pretty tough on him emotionally ... claiming he put in a TON of hard work, even mentoring his younger point guard competition, just to ride the pine.

"Everything you can imagine, I would do it. If it had been in Europe I would've played."

FYI, Huertas averaged 15 minutes -- and 4 points a game -- in L.A. He's back playing in Spain now.

Dwyane Wade was REALLY close to heading west instead of reuniting with his bestie LeBron James this off-season ... so says ex-NBA star Caron Butler.

TMZ Sports spoke with Tuff Juice about his convo with Wade before he made his decision to join the Cavs ... and he says Wade was seriously considering Miami, OKC and the L.A. Lakers.

Butler breaks it down -- L.A. made sense considering Wade's movie star wife Gabrielle Union, OKC would've been a good basketball move, and Miami's his first NBA home.

Right before Byron Scott's home was burglarized, surveillance cameras captured 2 men -- 1 wearing a hooded jacket -- skulking around the property, TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story, the Hermosa Beach, CA home where the former L.A. Lakers player and head coach lives was ransacked over the weekend, with intruders making off with expensive purses, jewelry, guns and more. In total, we're told the loot was worth more than $200k.

Sources in Scott's camp tell us they're hopeful surveillance footage showing the men walking around the home around the time of the incident will help investigators. The footage has already been turned over to cops.

So far, no arrests have been made.

Lonzo Ball's rap career just got real 'cause DJ Mustard, one of the greatest rap producers on planet Earth, just told TMZ Sports he's down to work with the Big Baller prince, for a big baller price.

If you don't know who Mustard is (you don't listen to music), he's made beats for peeps like YG, Rihanna, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, T.I., Big Sean, and Fergie.

He told us he'd be down to add Lonzo -- who just kicked off his rap career -- to that list when we got him out in Beverly Hills (shutting down Balenciaga), as long as the price is right.

Get your checkbook, LaVar.

J.R. Smith was asked about LeBron James ditching the Cavs ... and went COMPLETELY NUCLEAR -- telling the guy who brought it up to get the "f*ck outta here!"

It all went down outside Poppy in L.A. -- one of the hottest new restaurants in West Hollywood -- when a photog hit a nerve by asking if LeBron was gonna leave Cleveland (again) after this season.

Smith, one of Bron's Cavs BFFs, wasn't havin' it -- ripping the dude (not our guy) to shreds ... before blowing up over a question on The King joining the Lakers, specifically.

Photog: "LeBron's gone man. Deal with it."

J.R.: "LeBron's still here. He's still here."

Photog: "You think LeBron's gonna come to L.A.?

J.R.: "I think LeBron's gonna be wherever the f**k he wanna be at!"

Here's Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma serving notice to the rest of the NBA not to try him ... getting a lesson in the pugilistic arts from one of the most famous boxing trainers in the country.

Kuzma -- one of the Lakers summer league standouts -- headed over to the Team Watson Boxing Club in L.A., the city's new boxing hub, where champions like Leo Santa Cruz work out.

The lesson looks pretty intense (kid's got power) ... and it's definitely legit training 'cause the guy holding the mitts is Phil Paolina, an ex-fighter whose worked with celebs like J.Lo and even Bob Dylan.

Magic Johnson is all about the Balls ... so much that he says he's willing to shell out nearly $1,000 for both Lonzo AND LaMelo's signature sneakers!!

The Lakers Prez was leaving Craig's in WeHo when we asked him if he was gonna cop his prized rookie's $495 ZO2s ... or his H.S. phenom baby bro's $395 Melo Ball 1s.

L.A. Lakers rising star Larry Nance Jr. is officially off the market ... 'cause the NBA baller just proposed to his college sweetheart with a MASSIVE diamond ring!!

The 24-year-old and his longtime girlfriend, Hailey Pince -- a fellow U. of Wyoming alum -- announced the big news on social media Tuesday by showing off the huge rock.

LNJ and the aspiring model have been dating for over 3 years ... and he explained his decision to pop the question by channeling his inner Beyonce, saying "I liked it, so I put a ring on it."

Nance can reportedly make up to $7 million over the next 3 years ... so yeah, dude can afford to splurge on his girl.

Kobe Bryant will be the first Laker in team history to have TWO jersey numbers retired ... when they put #8 and #24 in the Staples Center rafters in December.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the Lake Show will have a ceremony to retire Kobe's jersey on Dec. 18 before the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors.

The big question was which # would get the VIP treatment.

The answer? Both ... according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Of course, Bryant dominated in both numbers ... winning 3 NBA championships in #8 (2000, 2001, 2002) and 2 in #24 (2009, 2010).

BTW, Rick Fox kinda called this ... predicting a double number retirement way back in 2015.

Christmas is coming early for Kobe Bryant -- the Lakers are planning to retire his jersey before the Warriors game on Dec. 18 ... multiple sources tell TMZ Sports.

The Lakers aren't officially acknowledging it -- but the team sent a letter to Lakers season ticket holders advising them to "hold on to your tickets for the game on Dec. 18" for a "special event."

We've made some calls and everyone's saying the same thing ... it's Kobe's big night.

The big question ... which number will go up in Staples Center -- #8 or #24 ... or both? (Our money's on both).

The Lakers also play the Golden State Warriors that night -- so LaVar Ball can finally watch Lonzo take on Steph Curry!

Those tickets are gonna be PRICEY on StubHub.

How does James Worthy feel about Kevin Durant saying he'd take his spot on the Showtime Lakers?

In a word: "LUDICROUS."

We got Big Game James at LAX ... and asked him what he thought of KD's recent comments on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" -- where Durant said he'd take Worthy's starting spot next to Magic Johnson and co. if he could play for any historical team.

"I think that’s ludicrous," the Hall of Famer told TMZ Sports. "I don’t know how he came to that conclusion, but I disagree."

Worthy says he doesn't get why KD would single him out ... but we're guessing their beef from earlier this year's got something to do with it.

FYI, Durant ultimately decided he'd keep Worthy and bench Kurt Rambis for his Showtime dream team.