Because guys with that skill set are expensive in free agency and the lakers won’t have an opportunity to add anyone like that for the next few years probably. If they sign Kyrie or Kemba, what the f*** is Kuzma going to do. He’s just a scorer.
On the other hand, you could keep ball, sign someone like horford and that’s the guts of a balanced team.
I can see the argument that New Orleans wanted ball, or that they think they have enough shot at Leonard that they needed to do it or whatever.
It’s possible that ball never fulfills his potential but you bet on potential not some chucker.