PaKii94 wrote:NOP was mis using lonzo at the beginning of the season. After coming back from injury these are his numbers (17 games, 30mpg):
(p36) 18.4p/5r/6.4a/2.3stocks, 60%TS, 43 3pt% on 9.7 3pa, 2.4 ast/TO%
That would be a really useful player to have for playmaking, shooting, defense. He's still only 23. We could lock him up for his prime for cheap.
I was not a fan of lonzo due to his high school draft hype and his family business but I think he's getting underrated now.
Lonzo is mainly a spot up shooter for the Pels. He brings the ball up and gets those 6.4 assists per game because that's what you get by default if you're a starting NBA point. But when he plays with Ingram, BI is in the Zach role - dribbling around looking for his own shot and doing some playmaking. Ball is Sato - watches passively from the weak side and shoots open 3's from kickouts.
I have nothing against Lonzo. I think he's a good dude and an above average NBA player who's stuck in a situation where he's not really needed, at least not at the price he's set for himself. The Pels are counting on Ingram and Zion to take care of most of the starting lineup ballhandling duties going forward. Lonzo's outside shooting is becoming valuable, but a 6'5'' spot up shooter with zero creation ability in the half court is not a $20 million guy for the Pelicans.
That's what worries me about Ball possibly ending up in Chicago. This team needs a point guard with the ability and inclination to control the game in critical/chaotic situations. And that is exatly what Lonzo lacks. He's just as passive and willing to defer as Sato - just a more willing shooter these days. That kind of "upgrade" is not worth $20 million for the Bulls either.
