New Orleans Pelicans general manager David Griffin says it's a blessing to see Lonzo Ball playing as a healthy contributor.
Ball, who was traded to the Pelicans this summer as part of the Anthony Davis deal, dealt with an ankle injury for much of the 2018-19 campaign, which forced him to miss a substantial amount of time. He was originally given a four-to-six week timetable for return, but the team ultimately decided to shut him down for the remainder of the season.
Now, though, Ball has recovered, and Griffin says the 21-year-old guard has something to prove with the Pelicans:
“You can tell Lonzo feels like he has something to prove,” Griffin told The Athletic. “All he has to do is take care of business every day. It’s just, get better, be better tomorrow.
“He hasn’t been healthy for so long that just watching him play free and easy is a blessing. He’s not even finding his rhythm yet; he went seven months without playing basketball. But he knows it, and he just works and works through it.”
Ball made 47 appearances with the Lakers last season (45 starts), racking up averages of 9.9 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field (32.9 percent from beyond the arc), 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 30.3 minutes per outing.
One aspect of Ball's game that seems to have improved is his shooting form. In the past, he had an awkward motion. Now, though, his stroke looks much better.
“When I got back (from rehabbing), just focusing on my jump shot,” Ball said via Mason Ginsberg. “I don't know if you guys seen it, it got tweaked a little bit. Shout out to coach Fred (Vinson), working with me all the time – in the mornings, at night. Just a lot of work, a lot of repetition, trying to get it ready before the season.”
Ball and the Pelicans will be back in action on Friday night, when they'll host the Utah Jazz for a preseason matchup. Tip-off inside the Smoothie King Center is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, with NBA TV having live broadcast coverage.
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