LaMelo Ball is one of the top prospects in the upcoming NBA draft. The New York Knicks are in need of a playmaker in the backcourt.
Is this a match made in heaven?
Marc Berman of the New York Post reported back in May the Knicks had interest in selecting Ball. Additionally, the Ball family has made no bones about their desires to see LaMelo head to the Big Apple.
Both sides seem to have interest in establishing a working relationship. The question then becomes: would LaMelo be a good basketball fit for the Knicks.
The answer is yes.
Far better than the other options
For starters, Ball has more upside than the current point guards on New York's roster.
Frank Ntilikina has made subtle improvements to his offensive game and is one of the Knicks' better perimeter defenders (not saying much), but he still shot below 40 percent from the field and lacks assertiveness.
Meanwhile, the Dennis Smith Jr. experiment has been a nightmare. Not much more needs to be said on that front.
The Knicks have been using R.J. Barrett as something of a combo guard. Barrett can handle the ball, but he also has a tendency to pound the rock, and also somewhat indecisive in pick-and-roll.
Barrett would be better suited on the wing, particularly with a savvy point guard such as Ball, who creates off the dribble and finds cutters with ease.
The playmaking
Another reason Barrett needs to be on the wing: the Knicks need him to score. They need a different player to provide good distribution and playmaking. Ball can be that guy.
Ball averaged 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL in Australia, and his physical attributes and athleticism give him a distinct advantage over most point guards.
LaMelo's size, length and quickness would make him a brutal matchup for opposing teams. He has an elite first step and can finish at the rim, or draw an extra defender in order to set up his teammates. The Ball-Mitchell Robinson connection would have elite capabilities, much like Lonzo and Zion in New Orleans.
Although LaMelo is often thought of as a volume scorer, he has exceptional court vision and often makes the right play in transition.
The question marks: shooting and defense
Ball's inability to shoot and the skepticism surrounding his defensive effort and instincts are the main drawbacks when assessing his draft profile.
The 18-year-old shot a woeful 25 percent from beyond the arc on 6.7 attempts per game. One source told Chris Fedor of cleveland.com Ball's shot was “broken.”
But Ball is still a teenager. He has time to hone his jumper. Just look at what Lonzo has done for the Pelicans (38 percent deep) after years of questions about his shot.
Ball will need to work harder to be a better individual defender. He might also benefit from putting on some muscle.
Still, Ball is the best fit for the Knicks given their team needs.
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