The early Lonzo Ball / Jason Kidd comparisons

[NotReady]

I have a feilling he will win more championships than Kidd...he is just 2-3 years far away from being a neutral value player.

Are you just speculating that he'll find himself on a team that's good but...not because of him? Because it's sorta weird to be like "I think he's gonna win two championships!" but then a sentence or two later call him a "value neutral player". Like he's gonna be smart on what team he signs with as far as their championship odds or what?

[WalterBenjamin]

I have a feilling he will win more championships than Kidd...he is just 2-3 years far away from being a neutral value player.

Are you just speculating that he'll find himself on a team that's good but...not because of him? Because it's sorta weird to be like "I think he's gonna win two championships!" but then a sentence or two later call him a "value neutral player". Like he's gonna be smart on what team he signs with as far as their championship odds or what?

Just a gut feilling that he will bring someone good value in his career. And he has one skill that is really above average.

[NotReady]

I have a feilling he will win more championships than Kidd...he is just 2-3 years far away from being a neutral value player.

Are you just speculating that he'll find himself on a team that's good but...not because of him? Because it's sorta weird to be like "I think he's gonna win two championships!" but then a sentence or two later call him a "value neutral player". Like he's gonna be smart on what team he signs with as far as their championship odds or what?

Just a gut feilling that he will bring someone good value in his career. And he has one skill that is really above average.

Ooooh, I see what you mean. Like a guy being meh on your fantasy team, but he's got that one cat that puts you over the top specifically for your build, even though he's mathematically an average guy. Got it.

[spikeslovechild]

TJ McConnell was undrafted. He's basically Lonzo without the hype.

A four year college player who at his best couldn't even sniff the level of impact/stats/play/physical profile of a freshman?

Lonzo Ball was never a scorer idiot fans were blinded by the percentages when basically all he took were wide open looks because of his funky motion. They bought into the hype of him being unselfish when the reality is he was just limited offensively.

TJ game is basically what Lonzo is going to have to do to survive in this league. Take wide open looks and defer, defer, and derfer. He's averaging 12 attempts a game.

[BloodNinja]

His statline vs the Sixers - 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers with 1-9 shooting.

Generational player though

[bebopdeluxe]

Maybe give him a little time - Brandon Ingram, Steven Nash, Robert Covington, Greek Freak, etc. etc. etc.

Hot takes guys should cool down and take a seat.

Too late. Blame Lavar. Blame ESPN. Blame the Lakers homers on this forum who told us all he was the second coming for MONTHS and then attempt the most ridiculous gymnastics to rationalize his horrid play.

Until he proves that he is worthy of all the nut-hugging he got, his fanboys have to take the L.

[Johnny Kilroy]

I don't blame anyone for anything except claiming lonzo is the next Kidd. It's ridiculous to associate a rookie with the 2nd best pg of all time. He has good vision. Kidd could count the bills behind a 30 ft vault...from the back of his head. There is no comparison. Kidd is one of the greatest winners and basketball minds the game has ever witnessed. Both offensively/defensively AND individual/team point of view. Nobody was asinine enough to state back in 94 he would be better than Stockton/Zeke. When lonzo fails expectations it will be the media's fault, not his.

[HOOOMAN]

Was thinking that too. Lavar dumbass wanted to do it his way. Good luck selling them 500$ knockoff shoes of your kid who has a grade school jump shot.

Man what a mess this guy created

Lavar may have messed up the shoe deal, but he looks like a genius right now IMO. His son doesn't even look like a legitimate NBA player, yet he was drafted #2 in the draft by a franchise trying to reclaim old glory.

His marketing talent is the primary reason for the Lonzo hype. As he kept repeating, he planned it all out, from High School coverage to the big-name UCLA to the Lakers.

Lavar took Kendall Marshall and turned him into a brand.

No ****, like if that's a mess, just **** my life up, Lavar, please.

I dont know man. So he's making maybe 1 more mil per year because hes a lottery pick

he lost out 10s of millions on a shoe deal. all this pressure is obviously getting to him. he looks suicidal on the court. what is it worth?

[NY 567]

He's young, but the odds of someone posting a historically bad rookie year and turning into a star are pretty low.

[ropjhk]

Jason Kidd is an apt comparison, but that is not really a good thing for Lonzo Ball. Rondo is another PG who matches Kidd's comparison in terms of being a poor shooter, good passer, good defender, good rebounding PG. Rondo could still be an all star if the NBA were the same as it was 7 years ago, but not in today's NBA.

The outlook for Ball is not good if he can't improve his shooting. It's an essential skill in today's NBA.

[ropjhk]

I don't blame anyone for anything except claiming lonzo is the next Kidd. It's ridiculous to associate a rookie with the 2nd best pg of all time. He has good vision. Kidd could count the bills behind a 30 ft vault...from the back of his head. There is no comparison. Kidd is one of the greatest winners and basketball minds the game has ever witnessed. Both offensively/defensively AND individual/team point of view. Nobody was asinine enough to state back in 94 he would be better than Stockton/Zeke. When lonzo fails expectations it will be the media's fault, not his.

Kidd is nowhere close to being the 2nd best PG of all time. Let's just call him a top 10 PG (though even that could probably be debated).

[Lolo]

His statline vs the Sixers - 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers with 1-9 shooting.

Generational player though

Generationally bad shooter... but better than Curry according to Lavar. I wonder if he wants to walk back that "put Curry on UCLA and put Lonzo on Golden State and see what happens" comment yet...

Joking aside, the kid has good vision, has a good motor, and has good length. He has NBA ready strengths, so it's mind-blowing why no one has fixed the kids completely jacked up shooting motion. As his play stands now, he is completely one dimensional. Kidd was never one dimensional.

[HeartBreakKid]

I don't blame anyone for anything except claiming lonzo is the next Kidd. It's ridiculous to associate a rookie with the 2nd best pg of all time. He has good vision. Kidd could count the bills behind a 30 ft vault...from the back of his head. There is no comparison. Kidd is one of the greatest winners and basketball minds the game has ever witnessed. Both offensively/defensively AND individual/team point of view. Nobody was asinine enough to state back in 94 he would be better than Stockton/Zeke. When lonzo fails expectations it will be the media's fault, not his.

[PhilBlackson]

Way too early to say how good/bad he is but right now, yeah he's looking like a poorman's Rubio.

[Birth of the Cool]

Kidd was also a quiet unassuming type of guy like Lonzo seems to be. Kidd was never really a vocal leader (RJ & K-Mart were the vocal / locker room leaders of those Nets teams).

However, Kidd was a fierce competitor with a chip on his shoulder. It's very very early but Lonzo seems to lack that fire (maybe he's holding back as a response to his Dad's brashness off the court...?). Kidd also pushed the ball in traffic / under pressure. Lonzo seems to like to throw the ball in full court opportunities but tends to give the ball up when any serious pressure comes his way. Kidd also had great vision in half court sets - Lonzo doesn't seem to have that vision or he gives up the ball and floats around the perimeter off ball until a shot goes up and he gets aggressive for offensive rebounds.

I think he needs to improve his handles in the off-season because right now all he has is full court offensive skills or in half court a cross over or straight line drive attack. This would be good enough in High School or NCAA to dominate but it doesn't make you effective enough as a PG in the NBA. He seems quite uncomfortable when a defender gets into his shorts - when really he should be attacking those opportunities.

[Fico92]

Since so many people on here rely on numbers only

Look I get it Zo shooting like crap right now for sure. An I wish he would stop shooting so many threes.

At least when JKidd was struggling his rookie year (whereas most on this forum weren’t even born yet probably) he would look to get Jamal Mashburn and Jim Jackson involved more.

More expierience will help him smooth out his shooting woes just like every other NBA player in history. I get it though for the GB fans anything Laker related boils your blood.
Way to stay subjective though

The cope is real!

Like Jason Kidd didn’t have a crap game his rookie season as well.....

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199412030DAL.html

Nice that we Lakers stay living in your head rent free

LMAO I was LMAO @ the victim complex

But hey after years in the lottery, I'm sure any tiny inkling of hope, even false hope, is good for ya

COPE
O
P
E

[BobanSmash]

If we put the scoring troubles aside for a moment one thing that has surprised me watching the Lakers and Lonzo is the playmaking

I have watched only three full Lakers games and didn't follow his college career, but the comments that he is "true leader" "floor general" "makes team mates better" had me expecting something like Steve Nash like so he would dominate the ball and dribble around defenses until the right play presented itself and then made a timely assist for easy basket... but what I have mostly seen is Lonzo dribbling the ball over half court and immediately passing the ball and cutting to a corner, with the exception of few good pushes on fast brakes

Maybe it's just my small sample size but not really sold on the floor general narrative

[Westbreezy]

He's young, but the odds of someone posting a historically bad rookie year and turning into a star are pretty low.

I'd argue 15 games out of 82 (18%) of a rookie year is too small a sample size

[durden-tyler]

If we put the scoring troubles aside for a moment one thing that has surprised me watching the Lakers and Lonzo is the playmaking

I have watched only three full Lakers games and didn't follow his college career, but the comments that he is "true leader" "floor general" "makes team mates better" had me expecting something like Steve Nash like so he would dominate the ball and dribble around defenses until the right play presented itself and then made a timely assist for easy basket... but what I have mostly seen is Lonzo dribbling the ball over half court and immediately passing the ball and cutting to a corner, with the exception of few good pushes on fast brakes

Maybe it's just my small sample size but not really sold on the floor general narrative

Well, PGs who dominate the ball and dribble for most of the 24 seconds don't tend to be very successful in the NBA, look at the last 20 years and you don't have a single overdribbling PG who won a damn thing...

[Jkam31]

If we put the scoring troubles aside for a moment one thing that has surprised me watching the Lakers and Lonzo is the playmaking

I have watched only three full Lakers games and didn't follow his college career, but the comments that he is "true leader" "floor general" "makes team mates better" had me expecting something like Steve Nash like so he would dominate the ball and dribble around defenses until the right play presented itself and then made a timely assist for easy basket... but what I have mostly seen is Lonzo dribbling the ball over half court and immediately passing the ball and cutting to a corner, with the exception of few good pushes on fast brakes

Maybe it's just my small sample size but not really sold on the floor general narrative

I’ve watched 90% of his UCLA and LA games living in California. You just hit it on the head that’s what he does and why I laughed at the hype.


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