Pelicans: Who will be better, Lonzo Ball or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?

Nickeil Alexander-Walker replaced Lonzo Ball in the starting lineup for the New Orleans Pelicans last night in a move that could be permanent.

Lonzo Ball sat out with an injury and will probably miss the final game against the Lakers as well, which will likely give NAW another chance as a starter.

Fans shouldn’t get too excited about NAW’s 30 point game against a shorthanded Warriors team but his play this season has made some wonder if he is the starter of the future and whether this team really needs Lonzo Ball.

Personally, I think one of the biggest missed opportunities of this season was not getting to see the two of them play much together, especially after it became clear that Eric Bledsoe was not the answer.

Injuries and inconsistency kept us from seeing what could be the Pelicans’ backcourt of the future.

With Lonzo Ball up for free agency and NAW still locked up for a few more seasons, it’s not only fair to ask which one of them the Pelicans should keep but after NAW’s strong finish, it is also fair to ask which one is going to be the better player in the future.

Both players are young, with Lonzo Ball being less than a year older. Neither player has been very consistent or durable, and both are considered high ceiling talent, so we’ll have to look at some other factors to evaluate who will be the better player in the future.

Will the New Orleans Pelicans keep both Lonzo Ball and Nickeil Alexander-Walker? Which one will ultimately be the better player?

Let’s take a look.