If you like to argue, come over to New Orleans Pelicans Twitter and make a declarative statement about the future of Lonzo Ball.
In one corner you have the Lonzo fans, who feel he is being misused in New Orleans and that he should be a pass-first point guard running an offense.
In another you have the “Lonzo is a wing” crowd, who believe his future is as a defensive wing who can shoot the 3-pointer and defend multiple spots.
There is a whole other group that doesn’t think Lonzo Ball has a place on the New Orleans Pelicans and should be traded for someone who is a better fit.
I find myself agreeing with all of them at times, as Lonzo Ball is one of the most polarizing and difficult to judge players I’ve ever covered in the NBA.
But what should his future role and position be with the New Orleans Pelicans? Let’s break it down.
New Orleans Pelicans: Lonzo Ball should be a point guard running the offense
Most of Lonzo Ball’s biggest fans think that his ultimate role is as a pass-first point guard who uses his high basketball IQ and slick passing to run a team.
This makes sense, as Ball entered the league as a guy known for these things in addition to his broken shot.
Stan Van Gundy never saw him that way and immediately gave more of the ball handling responsibilities to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who usually initiate the offense one way or another.
By trying to turn Lonzo Ball into something that he is not, the Pels are not taking advantage of his strengths. He has plus size, sees the floor well and could be an elite point guard if given the opportunity.
Lonzo Ball should be averaging closer to ten assists per game than the 4.8 he is getting now and the Pelicans are not using him correctly. Or are they?
New Orleans Pelicans: Lonzo Ball should be a 3-and-D wing
In the modern game, a wing who can defend three spots, shoot 40 percent from long-range and make plays is more valuable than a point guard who can’t penetrate or set up his teammates in the pick-and-roll.
As good of a passer as Lonzo Ball is, he has trouble making some of the basic passes a point guard needs to make, such as entry into the post and threading the needle on the pick-and-roll.
He has also improved his shooting, so Lonzo is a legit threat when left alone, which he often is when Zion Williamson has the ball.
This doesn’t mean he has to be a spot-up shooter only, Lonzo is amazing at running the break, so he can be a point guard in transition and a wing in the half court.
Very few wings in the NBA can shoot the 3-pointer at 40 percent and make plays, so Lonzo Ball could distinguish himself more in this role than he ever could as a point guard.
Lonzo is more valuable as the third scoring option than he is as a glorified Ish Smith who can set up teammates but doesn’t do anything else.
If the Pels can’t find a way to make it work, should they trade him before the deadline? Be careful what you wish for.
New Orleans Pelicans: If he’s not a fit, should the Pels trade Lonzo Ball?
I think there are strong arguments for Lonzo as a point guard or as a wing, but the argument I don’t get is the people who think the Pels should trade Lonzo Ball for bench depth.
Whether you think he is a point guard, wing or both (my choice), he is currently the Pels’ best perimeter defender and makes a lot of winning plays, as he did with his game-ending defensive play against Indiana.
He has not even come close to his ceiling yet, so trading him now would be selling low on a guy who could be the third best player on a good team. I would prefer the Pels keep Lonzo, see how the season turns out and then make him a reasonable offer on a contract extension that is somewhere near the max but not quite.
Lonzo Ball is going to be at the center of arguments about the New Orleans Pelicans as long as there is disagreement about what he is and what he can be.
I’d like Lonzo to carve out a unique role and position for himself that is some type of hybrid wing who can make plays but doesn’t always need the ball in his hands to do it.
The Pels have some unique talent that might be hard to make work but they should try to figure it out or risk losing some of that talent for nothing.