The Los Angeles Lakers have been infamously known for their organizational instability. Frankly, the franchise has lacked direction/leadership and has too often been mired in mediocrity since the Kobe Bryant era. The Lakers hired Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations to help rebuild the organization, and he promptly made two big signings. One, drafting Lonzo Ball out of UCLA, was viewed by most as a good start, with the Lakers receiving plenty of praise for getting the point guard who was widely regarded as the best prospect in the draft. However, the other signing, that of Julius Randle, was met with criticism. It’s no secret that Randle has had weight issues in the past, and many Lakers fans feel that the team
While the Lakers are in the midst of an exciting rebuild, the Bulls are trying to contend in a crowded Eastern Conference. They have a solid core of players and a great coach, but the team didn’t land a star this summer. They signed Ball to a four-year max deal, making him one of the most expensive players in league history, but how will he perform?
In a nutshell, Ball’s NBA career is going to be a flop. He’s a point guard who plays like a power forward, something that was already a problem for the Los Angeles Lakers before the arrival of point guard Rajon Rondo this season. The Lakers have lacked a reliable secondary ball handler for years, but Ball can’t play off the ball. He averaged 6.2 assists in the half court this season, which was 22nd among all point guards, and he threw up a dismal 7.4 per-36 minutes, which was last among qualifying point guards. He also shot a pathetic 37.2 percent from the three point line, which was an even worse mark. So, how did the Lakers—a team with some
Despite the fact that Lonzo Ball’s signing with the Chicago Bulls was well-received, some basketball fans are still divided about whether the club made the correct decision. For one thing, some people (particularly those who haven’t been paying attention) are worried about Ball’s offensive game. Meanwhile, many who follow Ball’s progress aren’t convinced whether he’s worth $85 million over the next four years.
The reality is, we’ll never know whether the Bulls made a mistake in signing Ball at this point in time. We’ll have to wait until the 2021-22 NBA season to find out. But, just for fun, let’s look at the positives and negatives of Ball’s game to see whether he’s the ideal guard for the Bulls.
The Impact of Lonzo Ball on the Bulls
Pros
The Bulls now have some significant offensive strength after signing DeMar DeRozan to a three-year, $85 million contract. DeRozan is one of the greatest mid-range scorers in the game today, as fans are well aware. Some have even likened him to Kobe Bryant, the legendary basketball player. The product of Compton will team up with Zach LaVine, who has developed into a complete offensive player. Nikola Vucevic, of course, can get his hands filthy in the paint and stretch the floor as well.
They need someone to give them the ball, call the correct plays, and eventually improve them, despite their offensive brilliance. Lonzo Ball is such talent, since he is a natural playmaker with exceptional vision. During his high school and college years, scouts saw this. Ball demonstrated his abilities as soon as he stepped into the NBA.
Apart from that, the evolution of Lonzo’s shot has piqued the interest of fans and critics alike. He’s no longer wearing that wacky slingshot jumper. Ball’s shape seems to be “normal” by his standards, and the statistics indicate how far he has progressed. He hit a career-high 37.8% from three-point range and 41.4 percent from the field last season. He made 172 three-pointers in total, which is higher than Paul George (171), Kyrie Irving (152), Trae Young (136), and Bradley Beal (130), among others. Defenses will undoubtedly pounce on DeRozan, LaVine, and Vucevic, so his shooting will be crucial.
Cons
There are just a few reservations about Ball at this time. As previously said, we will have to wait until the regular season to reach a more definitive decision. Ball’s offensive game is the source of worry. Despite the fact that he has totally altered his jump shot, Ball still seems reluctant to take his shot even when it is wide open. Fans of the Pelicans can testify to this. Ball hasn’t gotten rid of his proclivity for going over the edge of the ledge. This will be a problem because, as previously said, defenses are anticipated to collapse on DeRozan or LaVine. Ball will have a plenty of open shots to choose from. Hopefully, he has had enough time to regain his confidence over the summer.
With the additions of Ball and Alex Caruso, the Bulls have gained credibility at the point guard position. However, it has put them in a pickle with Coby White, their seventh overall selection from 2019, who has showed a lot of potential in his first two seasons with the team. Ball will, without a doubt, start at guard. White will be demoted to the bench, which makes sense on the surface but may stifle his growth in the long run. After all, the 21-year-old has the ability to develop into a good NBA point guard. He needs more playing time to fully realize his potential. White’s departure from the Bulls may be unavoidable in the near future.
Overall, the Bulls get an A for going after Ball and landing him. While all eyes were on competing clubs and what changes they would make to bolster their rosters, the Bulls were able to acquire one of the best guards available. In fact, we can conclude that the squad is nearing the end of its rebuilding process. DeRozan’s addition bolstered their attacking capabilities. Ball’s and Caruso’s additions strengthened their point guard position. As previously said, it’s still a case of waiting and seeing whether everything comes together correctly.
The Bulls will learn more about what they need to do to develop and take their game to the next level during the 2020-21 NBA season. The Bulls, on the other hand, seem to be in great shape right now.
