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Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 7:11 pm
by Slink
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2784666-who-should-lakers-start-at-point-guard-lonzo-ball-or-rajon-rondo

Offense
Rondo posted a career-best 51.8 effective field-goal percentage last year at age 31. He hit 33.3 percent of his threes, and after a few seasons of respectable low-volume shooting from deep, he's got his career conversion rate up to 30.9 percent. A Splash Brother he's not.

Ball was wildly inaccurate as a rookie. An effective field-goal percentage of 44 percent should have torpedoed his chances of being a positive contributor. He couldn't finish at the rim (49.4 percent; the league average was 65.8 percent) and made only 30.5 percent of his treys. Despite his errancy, Ball attempted 7.9 threes per 100 possessions, outpacing Rondo's rate of 4.2.

There's value in a player's willingness to fire away—even when that player misses as often as Ball. At least defenders have to attend to a willing shooter once in a while. Rondo, despite being the better long-range option, doesn't try enough deep ones to earn respect.

Defense
Ball distances himself from Rondo on the other end.

Last season, the Lakers rookie ranked third among point guards in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus with a plus-2.31 figure. Rondo checked in at No. 46 with a minus-0.37. The best you can say about Rondo's D in 2017-18 is it wasn't quite as awful as it was the year before: minus-0.49.

The 6'6" Ball is bigger and a better rebounder, and he projects as a superior switch option. The 6'1" Rondo is notorious for quitting when posted up by a larger opponent, and his consistent failure to fight over screens up top compromises his team's pick-and-roll defense. Rondo ranked in the 50th percentile as a pick-and-roll defender last year. Ball was in the 66th.

It's damning for Rondo that Ball is already so clearly a superior defender.

Rookies are supposed to get abused on D, but Ball's physical profile and high intelligence contributed to his positive impact on that end. It seems reasonable to assume there's growth ahead for Ball, and legitimate All-Defense production could arrive as soon as next year. Meanwhile, Rondo is entering his 13th season, having not played well on defense since roughly 2011.

Ball's VORP ranked 34th among rookies in league history, which was right between Vince Carter and Dwyane Wade. So...pretty good.

Maybe the Lakers are warming to the idea they handed Ball too much as a rookie. That he was too coddled, too quickly anointed. It's time to push him and see what happens.

It shouldn't come as a shock that Kobe Bryant, who shattered too many young teammates to count, is into the idea.

"They've been growing so much and now, here they are, thrust into the spotlight, and you know how pressure makes diamonds?" Bryant said on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday. "So, in this situation, you'll see Lonzo step up...the young guys will really step up and rise to that challenge and hit their potential a lot faster than they ordinarily would."

The efficacy of disempowering young players as a means of improving them is spotty. For an example of just how wrong the practice can go, maybe someone should ask Smush Parker how he enjoyed it.


So...who should it be and why?

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 7:15 pm
by Vae Victus
Even if we have no faith in the kid long term, If we want to increase Lonzo's trade value he needs to start and prove he's at least fixed a coupla of his worst issues (outside shooting and physical durability). Otherwise we're not gonna get crap for him.

Personally i think he'll have a major jump much like Ingram did after his own terrible rookie campaign. Playing with LBJ is gonna make life so much easier.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 7:24 pm
by tviper
I would start Rondo unless Lonzo beats him out in camp. If he wants to start, he has to earn it. But overall, Ball should get more minutes during the regular season.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:17 pm
by evilpimp972
Crazy how Lonzo's value has decreased lol
Last year lakers fans were saying his impact was really good
I'd start the one who plays defense in the regular season

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:19 pm
by TKainZero
Uhh

Where is the option for lebron?

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:21 pm
by myersia
Rondo. Groom zo.


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Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:22 pm
by Michael Lucky
This shouldn't be a discussion. They are on a similar level which makes this a non question. You develop the player with the higher ceiling. You dont shelf him and destroy his confidence. Even if Rondo starting led to a win or two more, so what? We aren't beating GSW, so who cares.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:32 pm
by KobeBryant24
There is no way laker fans are voting for rondo lol

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:35 pm
by myersia
Before Lebron I would say zo. But with bron I like Rondo. Zo could be a great sixth man and develop slowly while learning a lot from the vets. I’d revisit this convo in February.


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Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:57 pm
by TylersLakers
Lonzo should start.

With that said, if Rondo clearly beats him out, he's the guy.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 8:57 pm
by kblo247
Which ever one wins the job. I’m leaning rondo.

Kobe earned the right to start. Fisher earned the starts, got benched for Harper, and earned it again. Fox earned his startin spot, got benched for Rice, and earned it again by closing and working his ass off. Hell even Bynum played and earned his was into starting.

Ingram, Lonzo, and a lot of our guys over the part years like Randle before last year, Russell, Clarkson all got handed the keys and told test drive it

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 9:00 pm
by Slink
I think there are going to be distractions with either decision. If Lonzo starts, Rondo might make a fuss losing out to a second year kid and become a locker room distraction

If Rondo starts, we have to hear it from Lavar's mouth if anything goes wrong, like he blamed Luke last season for the losing streak.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 9:30 pm
by myersia

Watch on YouTube


Max describes my thoughts


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Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 9:44 pm
by Pythagoras
Slink wrote:I think there are going to be distractions with either decision. If Lonzo starts, Rondo might make a fuss losing out to a second year kid and become a locker room distraction

If Rondo starts, we have to hear it from Lavar's mouth if anything goes wrong, like he blamed Luke last season for the losing streak.


This and this why I hated the signing if we are to keep Zo. It’s and unnecessary distraction for a player who’s impact is questionable at best at this point in his career. Magic had this weird infatuation with Rondo last year too. I wasn’t all that crazy about the McGee and Lance signings, but you could at least somewhat justify them. This signing is just Magic trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 10:28 pm
by Ballerhogger
I would see who wins in camp and i got Ronodo starting out

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 10:35 pm
by Ball so hard
Whoever gives us the best chance to win.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 10:35 pm
by RamonSessions7
Lonzo. And not really close. Rondo is more of a name at this point.

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 10:38 pm
by Dr Aki
Bonga

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 11:09 pm
by Spens1
Dr Aki wrote:Bonga


is he even coming over?

Re: Who should Luke start at point guard?

Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 11:13 pm
by Dr Aki
Spens1 wrote:
Dr Aki wrote:Bonga


is he even coming over?


straight sign, no stash

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