Lonzo Ball

[Sunburn]

Ball's comp to Jason Kidd is about as spot on as it gets. (No where close to Steve Nash. Totally different type of PG.) The biggest difference is that Ball was 8% more productive in college on his 3's. Both are full court players with incredible vision that love to set up teammates. Both had unorthodox shots. Jason just plain sucked as a shooter until he was in his 50's.

Kidd brought two teams up 20+ wins the year he came to them: Dallas and NJ. He immediately upgraded every position during the regular season. I can totally see Ball doing the same thing.

Here's the problem, they both suck in the half court with almost no mid range game. Which is why I'd say Ball, like Kidd, is a great regular season guy. He'll give any poor team a massive boost with his full court prowess. But when the playoffs come, and the game inevitably becomes more half court with intense D, he'll be exposed like Jason was time and time again.

Ball will probably end up like Kidd in that teams will appreciate what he does for them for a time, but eventually realize he won't get you over the hump. He'll probably sift through 5 or so teams for his career rarely winning anything significant. (Barring he lands on a SuperTeam)

Didn't Kidd almost singlehandedly dominate the East and take the Nets to the Finals?

 

[SirStefan32]

And won the championship in Dallas.

 

[GatorAZ]

Like Nash, Kidd was really good and became great when he went to a roster that fit his game. K-Mart and Jefferson were athletic and could finish. Van Horn and Kittles could shoot a bit. If Kidd doesn't get hurt vs Detroit in 04' they go to three straight finals.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I'm totally reaching for an excuse for the lakers to trade us the #2 ... it's just not going to happen is it.


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Dude Lakers are not enamored with Ball, they wanna trade for an extra 1st, Mia 1st is what it takes!

 

[Raze]

Didn't Kidd almost singlehandedly dominate the East and take the Nets to the Finals?

Yep. His numbers those two years in the playoffs were absolutely incredible. 20ppg, 8.5 apg, 8 rpg, and 2 spg. He won 61% of his regular season games and 63% (25-15) of his playoff games. Even with the weak conference his numbers were staggering. He was a determined man.

Afterward, his next 4 seasons with NJ normalled out and he only won 47% (18-20) of his playoff games. His numbers took a sharp dip in Dallas as he was asked to be a different player there. Personally, I think he played his best basketball for Dallas. His stats don't tell the full story there.

Sorry, I didn't mean to derail the convo about Ball here. I just see a lot of similarities with Kidd.

And Mojorizen was right. The comp dies outside of the offense. Ball isn't near the defender Kidd was.

 

[Errntknght]

I have no enthusiasm for Ball... he's not very athletic or fast or quick... doesn't run the pick and roll nor penetrate the paint, zero midrange game, weird cross-body shot from 3 pt range that needs lots of room. A liability on defense. To top it off he doesn't want to play for us. I guess I'd understand the motivation if he fell to us at #4 and McD selected him but I wouldn't be happy about it. He'll be good on the break most likely and make some slick passes over the top but I'd rather have Ulis orchestrating the half court game.

 

[Russ Smith]

Except it's not exactly a brilliant smokescreen I don't think - they've been taking negatively about Ball for weeks now and they already have a tall - 6'5" - PG in Russell that Magic Johnson can just as easily work with, that has a couple of years under his belt already, and that comes without the potential sidetracks of the Ball circus.

Jackson seems to me to be a much better fit.

The same Russell that most of the team wanted traded after he outed Nick Young?

He was a kid and obviously Nick was doing stupid stuff off the court but that kind of stuff doesn't get easily overlooked in a league where LOTS of the players are doing the same stupid stuff that Nick was doing.

Nick had about played out in LA anyways so it was possible for Russell to work that out and stay a Laker but I think if they were willing to stick with Russell, they probably won't be concerned about Lavar Ball. If they think Lonzo can play they'll take him, if they don't, they'll pick Jackson

 

[Russ Smith]

Dude Lakers are not enamored with Ball, they wanna trade for an extra 1st, Mia 1st is what it takes!

and now virtually everyone is reporting that the Lakers are locked in on taking Lonzo.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

and now virtually everyone is reporting that the Lakers are locked in on taking Lonzo.

We can bet dude, Lol they wanna trade and been cold, they want a team to move up to 2 not just pass on Ball. Watch hes not going to be a Laker, they will take a trade!

 

[3rdside]

The same Russell that most of the team wanted traded after he outed Nick Young?

He was a kid and obviously Nick was doing stupid stuff off the court but that kind of stuff doesn't get easily overlooked in a league where LOTS of the players are doing the same stupid stuff that Nick was doing.

Nick had about played out in LA anyways so it was possible for Russell to work that out and stay a Laker but I think if they were willing to stick with Russell, they probably won't be concerned about Lavar Ball. If they think Lonzo can play they'll take him, if they don't, they'll pick Jackson

yeah i'm reaching Russ - i know it...just got a little over excited there on smokescreen chat, tall PG LA already have, Jackson arguably the better player etc etc.

 

[3rdside]

We can bet dude, Lol they wanna trade and been cold, they want a team to move up to 2 not just pass on Ball. Watch hes not going to be a Laker, they will take a trade!

I like your confidence, please be right.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Just say No to Ball

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

If Cowherd and Skip Bayless weren't in desperate need of ratings and never invited Lavar onto their shows then Lonzo would have a 20% higher approval rating. Players are going to absolutely love running with him. Like I said I would take one of the albatross Deng or Mozgov contracts off the Lakers (and feed their thought that FA's are ready to go there) just to get him.

 

[Russ Smith]

yeah i'm reaching Russ - i know it...just got a little over excited there on smokescreen chat, tall PG LA already have, Jackson arguably the better player etc etc.

I love Jackson I have no issue with LA saying they prefer him. I just was challenging the angle that Russell is somehow less problematic than dealing with Lavar Ball. The Lakers media has reported they actually pushed Russell and Young to "kiss and makeup" because it was divisive in the lockerroom.

 

[Cheesebeef]

and now virtually everyone is reporting that the Lakers are locked in on taking Lonzo.

shocker!

 

[3rdside]

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Chad Ford survey - pretty even outcomes...who would the pacers draft if they got #2?


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[3rdside]

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Stein says the lakers and pacers are talking


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[3rdside]

Everyone's reporting laker pacer talks .... but it doesn't involve #2.

http://hoopshype.com/storyline/paul-george-trade/


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[JCSunsfan]

Everyone's reporting laker pacer talks .... but it doesn't involve #2.

http://hoopshype.com/storyline/paul-george-trade/


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Ingram plus other stuff might interest the Pacers. PG would take his spot anyway.

 

[Folster]

Everyone's reporting laker pacer talks .... but it doesn't involve #2.

http://hoopshype.com/storyline/paul-george-trade/


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I wonder if that could open possibilities for a Bledsoe and Miami pick for the #2

 

[Russ Smith]

We can bet dude, Lol they wanna trade and been cold, they want a team to move up to 2 not just pass on Ball. Watch hes not going to be a Laker, they will take a trade!

Yep you were right for sure. They in fact just made a trade trading russell and Mozgov to the Nets for Brook Lopez, and the 27th overall pick.

Wait, doesn't that mean they're picking Ball and traded Russell because they figured he'd be redundant with Ball coming in ? Doesn't that mean they decided the issues they'd already had with Russell in the locker room were actually worse than the issues they MIGHT have with Lavar Ball?



I guess we'll see on the 22nd, maybe they traded Russell to draft Fox or Smith.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Is anyone still buying the click bait crap that the Lakers will
pass on Ball?

 

[Cheesebeef]

I wonder if that could open possibilities for a Bledsoe and Miami pick for the #2

Oh my lord... they ARE TAKING BALL.

 

[Hoop Head]

Oh my lord... they ARE TAKING BALL.

Ball might not be the best fit with Paul George and Lebron, if that's their end game. Bledsoe and the Miami picks are worth exploring but I'm pretty sure that's something they've been offered and declined. Unless they can bring in Lebron this offseason, I doubt they're trading their pick.

 

[mojorizen7]

Is anyone still buying the click bait crap that the Lakers will
pass on Ball?

Not me.