A lot has been made of Lonzo Ball’s early-season struggles in terms of scoring the ball. The Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard is averaging just 8.8 points per game and is shooting just a shade under 30 percent on the season, which are concerning numbers.
But despite Ball’s shooting woes, Lakers center Brook Lopez believes the rookie is still integral to the team’s offense since his ability to pass and facilitate are “irreplaceable.”
Brook Lopez on Lonzo Ball: “The way he facilitates, he brings everyone up to a whole new level…it’s irreplaceable."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 6, 2017
Ball’s main calling card coming out of college was always his passing and even with his shot not falling, he’s continued to make a significant impact on the team through that elite skill. He’s averaging 6.9 assists this season, which is inside the top 10 in the league.
The Lakers don’t really have anyone else who can do what Ball does in terms of jumpstarting the fast-paced transition game they’ve relied on this season, as well as spreading his infectious unselfishness throughout the team.
It speaks to the Lakers' belief in Ball's skill that they've essentially tried to build a team around the rookie. And to Ball's credit, he's done a credible job of running the show even at a young age.
While the Lakers could certainly do with some significant improvement from Ball’s scoring sooner rather than later, the rookie remains crucial to what the team wants to do offensively even without putting the ball in the basket.
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