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Carlisle rips ESPN for story on LaVar Ball calling out Walton

Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It doesn't sound like ESPN is in the good graces of Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle.

The company's decision to publish a story centered around LaVar Ball - the father of No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball - calling out Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton for his supposed inability to control his roster didn't sit well with Carlisle, who feels LaVar's comments aren't deserving of circulation.

Related - LaVar renews feud with Luke Walton: Lakers don't want to play for him

"As president of the Coaches Association, I view the recent ESPN article as a disgrace, quite honestly," Carlisle said Sunday, via the Fort Worth Star-Telgram. "Luke Walton is a terrific young coach who is bringing along a young team, and it's a difficult task. If you don't believe it, just ask me. We're going through that now, we went through it last year.

"ESPN is an NBA partner, and they've been a great one. The coaches do a lot of things to help them with access, interviews, all those kinds of things. In exchange for that, they should back up the coaches. Printing an article where the father of an NBA player has an opinion that's printed as anything like legitimate erodes trust. It erodes the trust that we've built with ESPN. Our coaches are upset because Luke Walton does not deserve that. Two years ago, he (Walton) took a veteran team and led them to 24 wins in a row, which is an amazing accomplishment. Off of that, he earned the Lakers job. To have to deal with these kinds of ignorant distractions is deplorable."

Walton shook off LaVar's remarks later in the day, expressing his confidence in the Lakers organization for having his back. Lonzo, however, wasn't as supportive of Walton when asked about his dad's criticism, saying that his job is to simply play basketball, and that he doesn't decide who the coach is.

Meanwhile, Carlisle said outlets like ESPN should think twice before giving those like LaVar a platform.

"They should look at their sources and do a better job and determining whether they have any merit and validity or are they just blowhard loudmouths," he added.

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