To begin the 2017-18 NBA season, there have been debates about Lonzo Ball's potential through 30 games. After Ball's 24-point performance against the Golden State Warriors, he is averaging 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in 33.8 minutes.
While most of the conversation has been about his shooting percentages, Ball is establishing the type of offense head coach Luke Walton wants to run in Los Angeles. According to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN, the rookie leads the league in pass-aheads via Spectrum SportsNet:
According to Second Spectrum, Ball ranks first in the NBA in pass-aheads — passes that travel at least 30 feet downcourt. And the average time Ball keeps the ball beyond the half-court line is 2.11 seconds, the fastest in the league among starting point guards. Those are auspicious numbers if you’re building a system, as Walton aspires to do, that incorporates principles that have defined the offenses of the Warriors and Spurs.
In Ball's short time in the league, he has shown the ability to create easy opportunities for his teammates with passes that travel at least 30 feet downcourt. As Ball gets more comfortable, the game will continue to open up for him.
With Ball being a pass-first point guard, the hope is President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka will surround him with finishers and shooters. While it will take time, the Lakers have been competitive and are working to become a free agent destination once again with Ball and Brandon Ingram leading the way.
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