Detriot to Meet & Interview Lamelo Ball

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Currently holding the No. 7 pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA draft, Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver says that "moving up is definitely an option."

One possible target is training in their backyard throughout the pandemic: top prospect LaMelo Ball -- whose mentor and manager, Jermaine Jackson Sr., is a former Piston and Motown native.

In October, Ball also hosted a free basketball camp at Oakland Fieldhouse in Rochester Hills, Mich. for kids ages 8-13. Weaver says they plan on scheduling an interview with Ball soon to get to know him.


"I'm always happy to hear players embrace our organization, our city. That never goes unnoticed. I know people around him, his trainer is a Detroit native so I'm sure he's been here for a while working out," Weaver said during Thursday's pre-draft media availability. "I'm sure he's well versed in the city from traveling around, being with his trainer and hearing different things so, no, that doesn't go unnoticed and that's always a positive when prospects speak highly of the city and the organization."

Sources told ESPN's Jonathan Givony that Ball has already met with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 pick. Their meeting happened in Southern California with Timberwolves' president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas and head coach Ryan Saunders.

ESPN has Ball listed as the top available prospect.

Weaver says, "everything's on the table" to bring the Pistons back to relevance, including an attempt to shuffle around in the draft, currently set for Nov. 18. The No. 7 pick is Detroit's highest since Greg Monroe's seventh overall selection in 2010.

"I love the draft. I love it every year. I always look at the draft with a glass half-full. Yeah, you may not have a Zion Williamson or a Ja (Morant) but there's guys in the draft that we really like," Weaver said. "The draft is always great because you have a chance to bring these young men in your program and help shape your culture from Day One. So, we really like the draft. Yeah, moving up is definitely an option as well, but I'm excited about the draft."

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[MotownMadness]

I'm somewhere on the fence with him. I see more potential in him than most but definitely recognize his flaws.

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[MotownMadness]

Whatever we do I'm just gonna give Weaver the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise for now.

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ESPN Draft Express


LaMelo Ball

6'7"
190 lbs
USA

Position Rank - 1
Overall Rank - 1

Pre-Draft Analysis

Strengths

- Has elite size for a point guard at 6-foot-7. Controls the game from his unique vantage point with impressive creativity, flair, poise and instincts operating off a live dribble. Gifted ball handler who plays at different speeds and can make every pass with either hand, especially operating out of pick-and-roll. Throws 90-foot outlets, makes magical touch passes.

- Has a chance to be an adequate defender due to his combination of terrific size, quick feet and instincts, particularly when he's playing with energy. Already has some impressive moments rotating for steals and contesting shots around the basket. Excellent rebounder for a guard.

- Won't turn 19 until well after the draft. Will be one of the youngest players picked in the first round. Might still be growing.



Improvement areas

- Has struggled to score efficiently throughout his career. Shot just 46% from 2-point range and 25% from 3. Shoots jumpers with unorthodox mechanics, including a two-handed release while kicking out his legs. The touch he shows on floaters and career 82% free throw percentage leaves room for optimism, but his inability to buy a basket at times this season in the half court was discouraging.

- Lacks a degree of high-end explosiveness creating offense from a standstill and beating opponents off the dribble. Doesn't have the strength to finish what he does create around the basket. Relies on a lot of tough floaters and other difficult attempts inside the arc.

- Indifferent defender for much of his career. Still reverts back to that frequently, especially off the ball. Struggles to get over screens due to his lack of strength. Has been maligned at times for his work ethic and level of focus.

Projected role: Franchise point guard

--Jonathan Givony

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ESPN+ Draft Express: Ranking Top Guards in 2020 Draft


Whom do you have as the No. 1 guard in this class?

If the Minnesota Timberwolves keep the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, that top selection will likely come down to a choice between Georgia's Anthony Edwards and Illawarra's LaMelo Ball. Which of the two is the better pro prospect? Who else belongs in the conversation about the best guard in this draft class?

Heading into draft night (Nov. 18 on ESPN), our experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz and Kevin Pelton rank their top five guards, break down the differences in their picks and select one key second-rounder to watch.

Givony: LaMelo Ball

Supersized playmakers are the queen on the chessboard in today's NBA. Ball handles on a string and can make every pass in the book, putting him in a rare class of shot-creators from day one. Given his late growth spurt, age (turned 19 two months ago) and unique path, I'm bearish on Ball's ability to improve defensively and as a shooter as well.

While my skepticism around the likelihood of Anthony Edwards reaching his (admittedly high) full potential plays a part in this pick, I'm a believer in Ball's talent and long-term outlook. His frame will need to continue to evolve, and whichever team picks him will certainly need to hand him the keys to the franchise over in order to maximize his strengths. Surely there will be growing pains early on in terms of turnovers, problematic shot selection and blown defensive assignments. I think the positives outweigh the negatives, but I understand why he's divisive. Part of that is due to his father's past antics, which I think are overblown by now.

Ball is not only the top guard in the class, he's the top overall talent, and it's not particularly close in my mind.

Schmitz: LaMelo Ball

Ball is the most talented prospect in this class and whom I would take No. 1, regardless of team need. You could put almost every prospect in this draft with the best trainers and coaches in the world for years and they still wouldn't be able to develop the type basketball instincts Ball possesses.

When I asked Ball about certain passes during our film session, even he couldn't really explain what went into each read, he'd just credit his natural court vision. That style won't fit with every coach, but the fact that he's such a raw talent without having been on a more traditional development path is a huge part of what makes him so tantalizing. Even though he doesn't have great habits in terms of shot selection and defensive intensity, he's seen so many more possessions in his career than most players his age. That has absolutely played a role in his ability to make the game look so easy.

While not the same caliber shooter, he reminds me a little bit of a 6-foot-7 Trae Young -- another confident, high-usage guard who faced questions about whether his style would translate to the NBA. Like Young, you have to build around Ball completely and live with some wild shots to get to his genius, but he's special enough to do it if surrounded by shooting and athletic defenders.

Even so, it's hard for me to say with certainty what Ball will be in five years. I'd surely bet on the talent, but will he fight through rigorous seasons if he ends up in a losing situation? Plus, I actually see the gap between Ball and Edwards as much smaller than Jonathan and Kevin.

Pelton: LaMelo Ball

Projecting Ball's future based on a dozen games in Australia is challenging, but not impossible. One takeaway from my work looking at translating player statistics from other leagues (including the NCAA) to the NBA is that a handful of metrics stabilize quickly and are indicators of talent, most notably usage rate.

To some extent, I'd compare Ball's season to Kyrie Irving's one campaign at Duke, which saw him play just 11 games due to injury. Despite that limited sample, Irving still shot near the top of my projections because of his high usage rate (27% of Duke's plays) and assist rate (7.5 per 100 plays).

In much the same way, Ball's usage (28.5%) and assist (9.2 per 100 plays) stood out in the National Basketball League. Unlike Irving, Ball wasn't competing against other top prospects aside from two meetings with fellow possible lottery pick RJ Hampton. At the same time, Ball was playing against much older and more experienced fringe NBA players such as Bryce Cotton and Casper Ware, who have improved from their college days.

When current Denver Nuggets senior analyst Layne Vashro compared the strength of leagues around the world in 2015, he found that the level of play in the NBL was higher than the ACC and other college conferences.

I wouldn't take the Ball-Irving comparison too far. Ball shot 25% on 80 attempts from 3-point range compared to 46% for Irving on 39 shots. Given his shot selection and far weaker free throw shooting, Ball is unlikely to come into the NBA nearly as effective a scorer as Irving was immediately. Still, the small sample of data we have on Ball points toward an elite prospect -- much as it did for Irving in a similar situation.

After Ball, who are your top five guards?

Givony: (2) Anthony Edwards, (3) Tyrese Haliburton, (4) RJ Hampton, (5) Kira Lewis

This is a strong group, and if you told me that Killian Hayes, Tyrese Maxey and Cole Anthony would end up being among the five best guards to come out of the class, I wouldn't be surprised. Among these five, here are some things I think might help determine which players will reach their potential:

Edwards: What kind of structure will he have around him? Will he play with consistent intensity? Can he overcome the lack of coaching and poor fundamentals he developed in high school? He has star talent with some real downside in the wrong situation.

Haliburton: A very situation-specific player. At his best, playing off other playmakers and making others better. How much talent will he have alongside him early in his career? He is a perfect do-it-all role player for a playoff team but maybe not what the worst teams in the NBA need.

Hampton: A gifted athlete with terrific scoring instincts who played against low levels of competition early in his career and wasn't ready for the rigors of the pro game. He has to get tougher on both ends of the floor, improve his shooting and continue to grow his knowledge of the game. He has considerable talent and could be a major steal in the right situation.

Lewis: Perhaps the fastest end-to-end player in the draft, but how much will his slight frame affect his ability to absorb contact inside the paint? Similarly, will he have issues holding his own defensively early in his career, considering his lack of physicality and at times inconsistent approach? Alabama was 34-31 (16-20 in SEC play) over the course of Lewis' college career. How much should that be held against him?

Schmitz: (2) Anthony Edwards, (3) Tyrese Haliburton, (4) Tyrese Maxey, (5) Kira Lewis

Although I'm not blind to questions about his defensive intensity, shot selection, shooting consistency and winning, Edwards is arguably the most physically impressive perimeter prospect I've ever evaluated. If he lands in the right situation, he could develop into one of the NBA's more devastating scorers.

He wasn't in peak shape, but seeing Edwards' sheer size (6-foot-5), strength (230 pounds), length (6-foot-10), quickness and explosion at his Thursday pro day was eye-opening. According to P3, which has tested more than 700 players with NBA experience, Edwards generates more force than any other player the company has ever tested at his position. He ranks in the 99th percentile in terms of acceleration force and the 98th percentile in terms of deceleration force.

He's incredibly shifty for a player with his frame, and he should be able to get wherever he wants on the floor. The only other guard I can think of with that strength and ability to stop and start on a dime is James Harden. Edwards isn't that caliber of a shooter or passer, but in terms of how he can shed defenders to the rim or create space with step-backs, there are some similarities. I also think Edwards has far more shooting potential than most. His percentages were a product of shot selection more than anything else, and he shoots a really easy ball.

If the team that drafts him can connect with him in a way that brings out more consistent fire and focus on both ends, I think Edwards could absolutely end up as the best player to come out of this class. As it stands now, I still give Ball the edge, but I think it's more a matter of preference. Do you want the powerful, explosive scorer or the finesse-based, 6-foot-7 playmaker?

I dove more into Haliburton here and Maxey here.

Pelton: (2) Tyrese Haliburton, (3) Anthony Edwards, (4) Killian Hayes, (5) RJ Hampton

After Ball, who is alone in the first tier, I have Haliburton and Edwards in my second tier of prospects for very different reasons.

Haliburton's college productivity bodes well for his NBA future. Despite playing most of his sophomore season at age 19, he projects better than 75% of NBA-bound point guards in five of the 10 skill-based stats that I consider for strengths and weaknesses. Although Haliburton is not a prototypical pick-and-roll point guard in the NBA, his catch-and-shoot ability should allow him to play next to a ball-dominant guard and make plays when the ball is swung to him on the weak side.

Edwards has the physical tools that Haliburton lacks. Whether he can translate those into productivity remains a question. In particular, Edwards will have to dramatically improve on his 29% 3-point shooting in college. More concerning, Edwards was no better on catch-and-shoot attempts than those off the dribble, which suggests that shot selection isn't his problem. He also has to play with more consistent effort on defense. Those weaknesses have tripped up more talented prospects, but if Edwards can improve, he has star potential.

Hayes and Hampton are both in my fourth tier of prospects, with Hayes near the top of that group. If Hayes can make better decisions passing out of the pick-and-roll, his size, quickness and ability to shoot off the dribble could make him dangerous operating in space. There's more projection necessary with Hampton, but his NBL performance at least suggests that there is no reason to disbelieve scouts' assessment of his potential.

[Billl]

It's a stretch, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a draft where so many of the best picks are being shopped. We should definitely do our homework on as many guys as possible. I don't want any more SVG moments where we don't bring a guy in just because we think he'll be gone by our pick.

[BJK1]

This might the “cheapest” year to be able to move up in the draft in a while as well, meaning it shouldn’t cost a ton to move. Not so much next year (or probably the year after).

[chrbal]

I’d be cool with this, but I honestly would prefer to fleece the Knicks out of an extra pick for not taking Ball if he falls to us.

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Zach Lowe

The Pistons could offer Luke Kennard, No. 7, and a lightly protected 2021 first-rounder to move up to 1 or 2

Minnesota Timberwolves send Number 1 Overall Draft Pick + Sign and Trade Malik Beasley

To

Detroit Pistons for 7th Overall Pick, Luke Kennard, & Top 5 Protected 2021 1st Round Pick

Both Guards get a fresh start. Lavar Ball gets his wish for his son Lamelo Ball to go to the Detroit Pistons.

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[Snakebites]

I’d love to have an opinion about this, but it would be based on the whole Ball image, which isn’t fair. Haven’t seen the kid play.

Anyone have insight on that?

[BJK1]

Malik Beasley is facing felony charges for pulling an assault rifle on a family (with kids) and drug possession. The Pistons will want no part of him.

[Manocad]

That shot just really bothers me. And I don't think this is the time or the draft to be giving up assets to move up.

[UnFadeable21]

I’d love to have an opinion about this, but it would be based on the whole Ball image, which isn’t fair. Haven’t seen the kid play.

Anyone have insight on that?

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He’s really good. He won the rookie of the year in the NBL averaging 17-7-7-2.

He’s a mix of Ben Simmons, Ricky Rubio, & Jamal Crawford.

Bigger like Simmons, Passing ability like Rubio, streaky shooter but elite handles like Crawford.

He’s ranked number 1 by ESPN, The Athletic, John Hollinger and Chad Ford.

[mattao313]

I’d love to have an opinion about this, but it would be based on the whole Ball image, which isn’t fair. Haven’t seen the kid play.

Anyone have insight on that?

Big guard with a great handles and court vision, terrible shooting and percentages with a ugly jumper.

Pretty much all potential. high ceiling with high bust potential. Not worth trading up for but OK pick with 7.

[UnFadeable21]

I’d love to have an opinion about this, but it would be based on the whole Ball image, which isn’t fair. Haven’t seen the kid play.

Anyone have insight on that?

Big guard with a great handles and court vision, terrible shooting and percentages with a ugly jumper.

Pretty much all potential. high ceiling with high bust potential. Not worth trading up for but OK pick with 7.

He’s better than Lonzo. More size and his handle is way better. As long as you have one elite skill set in the NBA you won’t bust. Lamelo has that. He’s A+ playmaking, handles, and court vision.

Lonzo hasn’t been a star being drafted number 2 overall but he’s very serviceable averaging 12-6-7.

Lamelo’s floor is that.

[Snakebites]

Some pretty passes in that clip, but yeah, even the shots he made in that clip looked hideous.

That shot mechanic needs some serious work, and it seems like a lot of players that is said about never become decent shooters.

I dunno. Right now I'm tentatively trusting Weaver's judgement. We'll see how it goes.

[bjones521]

I think Weaver is interviewing him bc he knows that Ball will fall. Similar to how Drummond fell to us and we had to rush and do his workout. I listened to Zack Lowe and Bill Simmons podcast and they think its all smoke and teams really dont want to take Ball. They dont think he is any good. They felt that he was a worst version of his brother. He is just taller

[bjones521]

I’d love to have an opinion about this, but it would be based on the whole Ball image, which isn’t fair. Haven’t seen the kid play.

Anyone have insight on that?

Big guard with a great handles and court vision, terrible shooting and percentages with a ugly jumper.

Pretty much all potential. high ceiling with high bust potential. Not worth trading up for but OK pick with 7.

He’s better than Lonzo. More size and his handle is way better. As long as you have one elite skill set in the NBA you won’t bust. Lamelo has that. He’s A+ playmaking, handles, and court vision.

Lonzo hasn’t been a star being drafted number 2 overall but he’s very serviceable averaging 12-6-7.

Lamelo’s floor is that.

Lamelos floor is def much lower than that. He cant shoot at all. And he has no mid range game. Offensively he is Ben Simmons but he takes 3's. But ben is bigger and stronger which allows him to play in the post.