LaMelo Ball is arguably the most enigmatic player in the NBA. He is universally acclaimed for his flashy playstyle. But his defensive deficiencies and injury issues have prompted doubts about whether he could be the franchise cornerstone the Hornets need. However, this season, he has been answering those questions. He has missed only one game and is averaging 31.1 points, which ranks second in the league. But despite his hot star, Lou Williams believes he’s only the fifth-best guard in the East.
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On FanDuel’s Run It Back show, the former Clippers star claimed that the Hornets, who are 6-13, aren’t equipped to earn a playoff berth this season. However, he believes the future could be bright. Williams said,
“Yeah, they got a nice young core. Him and Brandon Miller, they’re gonna be guys that’s gonna carry them to a lot of wins we hope. You know sooner than later they’re gonna have to start seeing those investments pay off. There’s still some maturity things they’re working through, but talent-wise he’s one of the top 5 guards in the Eastern Conference.”
Williams claimed that Bucks’ Damian Lillard, Hawks’ Trae Young, Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, and Knicks’ Jalen Brunson are above him in the guard rankings in the East. He added it’s close between Pistons’ Cade Cunningham and Ball for the fifth spot but he prefers the former.
While Williams is entitled to his opinion, ranking the Hornets star as the sixth-best guard in the East this season grossly undermines his impact.
LaMelo Ball is among the best in the East
LaMelo Ball is one of only two players in the league alongside Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to average over 30 points per game. He has always been a stellar offensive player, but he’s finally taking the next step and becoming an elite scorer.
Over the years, the Hornets star’s defensive impact has been scrutinized heavily. However, his defensive rating of 115.1 ranks 12th in the East among guards, above Darius Garland (115.1), Damian Lillard (116.8), Trae Young (119.2), and Jalen Brunson (121).
Among the names Williams mentioned, only Cunningham has a better defensive rating than Ball with 111.9. However, he’s averaging only 23.5 points per game, nearly eight fewer than the Hornets star.
While he has been exceptional as a scorer, his playmaking hasn’t been up to the mark. He’s averaging only 6.9 assists per game, which is lower than every player on the former Clippers star’s list, except Darius Garland (6.8). However, it’s worth noting that sophomore Brandon Miller is the only other reliable scoring option on the Hornets, putting the onus on Ball to carry the offense.
Charlotte’s 6-13 record has been used as a knock to undermine the 23-year-old’s campaign. However, except for Garland’s Cavaliers, none of the teams of the other five players that Williams named on his list have had a noteworthy season.
On the contrary, Brunson’s Knicks and Lillard’s Bucks have had underwhelming seasons. Young’s Hawks and Cunningham’s Pistons haven’t exactly set the league ablaze either. Any argument against Ball being the best guard in the East this season falls flat in the face of facts.
It remains to be seen whether he can sustain this form. But for now, no player in his position in his conference can claim they are having a better year than Ball.
