Lonzo Ball has had an up and down season for the New Orleans Pelicans.
At times, he has absolutely looked the part of the foundational piece the Pels were hoping they had coming into the season, but other times he has disappeared.
This inconsistency is his biggest problem and one he will have to overcome if he wants to truly be part of the Pelicans’ “Big 3.”
This makes the Pels’ offseason decision of whether to keep him even more difficult, as they don’t want to get stuck paying $20 million per season for a guy who is a fairly average guard at times.
His late season has showcased some of the biggest concerns around giving him that big deal, so has he helped his value or hurt it?
New Orleans Pelicans: Lonzo Ball he can be special
When Lonzo Ball is playing well and engaged on both ends, he is one of the most entertaining players in the league.
He has flashed this a few times lately, scoring over 30 points twice in the last seven games, one of which was a triple-double.
When Lonzo Ball is hitting the long-range shot, he is the perfect complementary piece to Zion Williamson, as he can catch and shoot off the kick outs or make plays himself.
Having a couple of big high profile games late in the season will remind people that Lonzo could be a triple-double machine in the NBA at some point which should help his value.
Pelicans: Injuries and inconsistency won’t help Lonzo Ball’s case
Even though Lonzo Ball has had some monster games down the stretch, they’ve mostly been dappled amongst games where he didn’t really show up.
After scoring just six points against the lowly Thunder, Lonzo Ball scored 33 against the Timberwolves, then seven in a must-win against the Warriors before scoring 33 the very next night against the very same team.
This type of inconsistency is why the Pels might hesitate to give him a max deal.
Ball has also been injured down the stretch and has only played 55 of the possible 71 games, another concern, as he has had injury troubles in his career.
This will not help his value on the open market, as teams don’t to shell out max money for a guy who is inconsistent and can’t stay on the floor for a full season.
New Orleans Pelicans: Has Nickeil Alexander-Walker made Lonzo Ball expendable?
Before he was injured, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was playing the best basketball of his career and many believe he will be the starter of the future.
He has averaged 19 points per game as a starter this season while putting up similar rebounding and assist numbers to Lonzo Ball, so it is fair to ask if NAW’s play has made it easier to walk away from Lonzo Ball.
This might not affect his value to other teams, but will certainly make the Pelicans think twice before committing to a guy who has often been outperformed by a player still on his rookie deal.
The New Orleans Pelicans will have a lot to weigh this season but Lonzo Ball’s inconsistency, injury problems and the rise of NAW have not helped his value late in the season.