Los Angeles Lakers

Classic good news/bad news situation for Lonzo Ball ... good news is that one of the greatest producers in hip-hop history says he's totally down to work with Ball.

Bad news is that this guy ... DJ Quik ... says he'll only do so if Ball can really rap, saying he hasn't heard Lonzo's rhymes yet, and isn't sure about his skills.

You gotta remember, Quik has worked with Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and every other rap legend around, so impressing him might not be easy.

Welcome to the Lonzo Ball 6-game rookie season breakdown with your host ... LaVar Ball!

So, LaVar ... the Lakers are 2-4, but how do you think Lonzo looks so far?

"How would I rate his first few weeks? Good!"

He took responsibility for that loss to the Jazz ...

"Hey, that ain't nothing new to me. He knows what he's supposed to do. He do it right."

But it's a team sport. It was a team effort, right?

"It can be a team effort, it's all on him. He already know. We built that way. My boy built that way."

So, what happens next for Lonzo? How does LaVar feel about Metta World Peace saying he can't tell if Lonzo will be a star until 3 years into his pro career?

Metta World Peace wants all basketball critics to CHILL with the Lonzo Ball takes ... 'cause the ex-Laker says it's way too early to tell if the Big Baller is the real deal.

We spoke with Metta -- who just joined the Lakers' G-League team as a player development coach -- about Zo's first week in the NBA ... and he thinks it'll take 3 YEARS to find out if he's legit.

FYI -- Ball's averaging 11.5 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists through 4 games.

John Wall wasn't too bummed out after losing his "No Mercy" game against Lonzo Ball's Lakers -- hitting up Warwick nightclub ... and telling TMZ Sports there's no bad blood.

The Washington Wizards star vowed to punish the rookie for all the trash talk his dad, LaVar Ball, had been spouting off leading up to Wednesday's matchup at Staples Center.

But Wall and the Wizards came up short -- losing to the Lakers in overtime -- and after the game, he took out his frustrations at the club!

Wall says he's not holding a grudge with the Balls -- or anyone for that matter -- and focused his energy on having a good time.

As for LaVar ... he celebrated the victory by taking a bow to the crowd. He's loving this.

Charles Barkley ain't shy about what he'd do to Lonzo Ball if they played in the same era ... saying he'd try to take the kid's head clean off as punishment for his father's antics.

"I would've been goin' at his head, no question. Would've been talkin' to him the whole time about his daddy," Barkley told TMZ Sports.

Chuck actually REALLY likes Lonzo ... but 100% agrees with Kenny Smith, who told us LaVar Ball has put a target on his son's back.

"His dad has put so much pressure on him, he makes people not like him. Now he's got everybody not liking his son and he's gonna have to deal with that."

Sir Charles also had a pretty funny take on Lonzo's 1 big game for the Lakers -- saying it didn't count because it came against the crappy Phoenix Suns.

Speaking of the Suns ... Barkley also trashed Eric Bledsoe for tweeting that he wanted off the squad.

"Someone's paying you $15 million a year -- you shouldn't say, EVER, 'I don't wanna be here.'"

"You don't go on the Internet. You don't do that ... that was just bad."

Marcin Gortat thinks it's hilarious LaVar Ball said his Wizards should be afraid of Lonzo Ball ... telling LaVar that his teammate, John Wall, is gonna "TORTURE" the rookie.

The Big Baller Dad issued a warning to the Wiz -- who are set to play Lonzo's Lakers on Wednesday -- after L.A. dropped to 1-2 on Sunday ...

"They better beware, 'cause Lonzo ain't losin' again. Not in the same week!"

The Polish Hammer wasn't havin' none of that -- letting LaVar know Wall's comin' for 'Zo just like Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley did in the Lake Show's season opener.

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!"