Can the New Orleans Pelicans make Lonzo Ball a bigger scoring threat?
When asking if the New Orleans Pelicans can turn Lonzo Ball into a scoring threat, the answer is maybe. It’s not often in the NBA that we see passive players turn into aggressive scorers but it can be done.
I look at the evolution of current NBA stars in the playoffs like Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. Both players were playing secondary roles early in their careers and didn’t do a lot of scoring. As their careers progressed, their teams put more development into them and they grew to become go-to scorers.
At the same time, I look at the point guard landscape of the NBA and for the most part, those players are who they are for most of their careers. Players like Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, and Kyrie Irving entered the league as scoring guards and stay that way. Meanwhile, guards like Ricky Rubio, Malcolm Brogdon, and Chris Paul are playmakers and haven’t changed.
It’s still too early to tell if Lonzo Ball will become a scorer. For his career now, Lonzo averages 10.7 points per game, which isn’t threatening at all. He’s still growing his 3 point shooting and efficiency attacking the basket showcasing some of those improvements before the season shut down.
In March, Lonzo was averaging 20.7 points a night for the New Orleans Pelicans. He was playing comfortably getting shots off, attacking the basket, and playing off of his teammates. If we see more of that Lonzo, then the New Orleans Pelicans will be contenders no doubt.