New Orleans Pelicans: 4 storylines to watch against the Milwaukee Bucks

New Orleans Pelicans: The rise of Lonzo Ball

Lonzo Ball had a season-high 27 points last time he faced the Milwaukee Bucks. That game was a watershed moment for the Pels guard. Since then, he is averaging 16 points per game on 46 percent shooting from three. Prior to that, he was shooting 30 percent from the perimeter and scoring about 12 points per game.

After an adjustment period, Ball is excelling in his new offensive role. He is a reliable floor spacer who is engaged on defense and can still playmake for his teammates. He will not win this award or even be a contender really, but I think Ball should be talked about as one of the most improved players in the league.

The former UCLA Bruin was clowned after a terrible performance in the Lake Buena Vista bubble last season and has had to prove himself again this year. This isn’t something new for Ball, who has been answering questions about himself ever since he played for Chino Hills in high school. He has put the work in, refurnishing his shot entirely under the tutelage of Pels assistant coach Fred Vinson and acclimatizing to Stan Van Gundy’s much slower brand of basketball.

After the Pels’ first game against the Bucks, I wrote that the Pelicans cannot and should not give up on Ball. The signs of his progress were always there, but only now have they started to consistently show on the floor. Ball can perfectly complement the Pelicans’ two franchise stars. He can play without the ball, doesn’t need many touches, and is a team-first player who tends to look for the pass rather than to score himself.

Trade season is heating up and the market will come to a close in late March. There’s still a realistic chance that Ball is moved onto a different team. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and no one knows what the Pelicans perceive his value as, but I still believe Ball should be an important part of the Pelicans’ future.