New Orleans Pelicans: Can Lonzo Ball become an all-star soon?

Lonzo Ball is once again making headlines.

After catching the eye with a career-high 33 points in the New Orleans Pelicans’ last game, Ball’s recent comments in an interview with Stadium‘s Shams Charania are also starting to gain traction.

Ball’s next individual goal in the NBA is to become an all-star. The current New Orleans point guard wasn’t shy about it either, saying that he sees this “coming up pretty soon.” So is this statement truly viable or is it just a page out of his father LaVar’s playbook?

It is undeniable that Ball’s tremendous improvement has been a highlight of the Pelicans’ up-and-down season. The former UCLA guard has consistently been the third-best player on the team behind Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. On some nights, such as against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he can step into either of their roles.

The Pelicans will have a big decision to make this off-season. Ball will be an unrestricted free agent, so while New Orleans ultimately controls his future, a huge offer from another team could see Ball leaving the Smoothie King Center. Teams such as the New York Knicks or the Chicago Bulls are rumored to be in the mix.

For now, Ball is just concentrating on finishing the regular season. The Pelicans are still in the play-in tournament hunt, even if it appears unlikely. The upcoming games against the Golden State Warriors should provide some clarity and, if his last few outings are an indicator, Ball should be in store for some good games.

This uptick in play from the New Orleans point guard can be broadly attributed to two things: the improvement in his shot and his new role.

New Orleans Pelicans: The reasons behind Lonzo Ball’s improvement

Ball is shooting a career-best from the field, from three, and from the free throw line. He worked hard to reconstruct his unorthodox shot with New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach Fred Vinson and, now, the proof is in the pudding.

It is also important to acknowledge Stan Van Gundy’s role in Ball’s improvement, though. Ball struggled to find his footing during the first few weeks under his new head coach, but Van Gundy has really helped usher Ball into a role that highlights his strengths and hides his weaknesses.

Under Van Gundy, Ball has essentially transformed into a sort of 3-and-D point guard. His sheer vision and basketball IQ still help him gather up assists, but he isn’t the team’s main ballhandler. Oftentimes, the offense goes through Williamson and Ingram, while Ball is there to connect everything together.

The New Orleans point guard is shooting 38 percent from three on eight attempts per game. Over 65 percent of Ball’s shots come from beyond the arc, where he is most comfortable. He still struggles to attack the rim or consistently get going in the mid-range, but that’s not a problem when he is getting to take the shots he wants.

Ball is making it rain from three in every context that the Pels need. He is shooting 41 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, while making the most pull-up threes of anyone on the New Orleans roster. This latter area can still use some improvement, however.

On defense, Ball has been good all season relative to his teammates. However, that’s not saying much at times. He needs to become good relative to every player in the NBA. The good news is that he has the potential to do so.

This has been apparent intermittently over the course of his NBA career, but I am encouraged by his recent performances. Ball has done very solid jobs on Paul George, Michael Porter Jr., and Anthony Edwards in the Pelicans’ last three games. At 6-foot-6 with solid length and great defensive instincts, Ball has the makings of a fearsome defender.

New Orleans Pelicans: Can Lonzo Ball be an all-star?

Despite all of his recent improvement, it is difficult to envision Lonzo Ball becoming an all-star “soon.”

This is especially true if he stays in the Western Conference. The west is stacked with top-tier talents and, although Ball could soon be considered among the elite in his position, it is an uphill battle to start with. The number of players that are in with a chance for an all-star berth in the west appear to grow every year.

It would be easier for Ball in the Eastern Conference, but that also seems unlikely. The only way I see him becoming an all-star in the short-term is through the fan vote, which is at least somewhat possible in a huge market like New York or Chicago.

Still, there are still a few notable gaps in Ball’s game. He needs to continue working on his consistency and further diversifying his offense. He also has to become an elite defender every single night and cement himself as one of the NBA’s best defenders.

From a statistics standpoint, this is also a hard conversation to have. Ball’s averages of 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists are very solid for a third option, but lacking for an all-star. The likes of Draymond Green or Al Horford have gotten to the all-star game on unspectacular numbers, but they were on contending teams.

But even if Ball doesn’t become an all-star in the next couple of seasons, that should not take away from his improvement. He has worked himself into a big contract this summer and, perhaps more importantly than that, into having a huge role on whatever team he ends up.