New Orleans Pelicans 2020 Draft Profile: LaMelo Ball

LaMelo Ball’s Strengths

Ball’s offensive abilities are far more developed than Lonzo’s were at his age and his 12 games with the Hawks showed a sharp defensive twitch with 1.6 steals per game.

LaMelo would add another playmaker to the New Orleans Pelicans, and even now he is ready to lead the second unit.

LaMelo has similar size to his brother at 6-foot-7 which should give him the ability to see over defenders for passes that not many others see.

He is already a gifted passer, floor general and defender, and a Ball-Brothers backcourt would offer intriguing possibilities on both ends of the floor, especially defensively with their ability to guard larger opponents.

LaMelo has an off-the-charts basketball I.Q. and the instincts of someone who has been playing much longer.

Family and LaVar aside, a backcourt duo of Lonzo and LaMelo  is a scary proposition.

Lonzo’s stellar court vision has been shown in his 19 games with Zion Williamson and mostly throughout his short NBA career.

Pairing that with the offensive prowess LaMelo has shown throughout his basketball adventures and you have a great one-two punch, especially if the Pelicans decide to move Jrue Holiday.

With Lonzo and LaMelo’s ability to see the court, the Pelicans would have two of the best passers in the NBA, which would lead to tons of dunks for Zion and open three-pointers for Brandon Ingram and the rest of the Pelicans’ shooters.

With Alvin Gentry’s history of helping develop guards (See Lonzo’s growth, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Holiday), and a need to get more pace to compliment today’s NBA game, the idea of LaMelo is captivating.

He gives an offensive weapon the Pelicans sorely need, a point production that can’t be denied, and a tenacity on offense that is similar to Russell Westbrook.

LaMelo would bring size, elite passing, the ability to get to the rim and defensive versatility to the second unit of the New Orleans Pelicans.

But he does have some question marks.