Lakers Rumors: Three reasons to be legitimately worried about Lonzo Ball
By Keith Rivas
Love or hate the rookie, Lonzo Ball’s struggles don’t just affect him or Los Angeles.
Normally, the number two pick in a draft isn’t a bad player and has a major effect on the team picking him up. The Lakers wanted to change directions at point guard, and after trading D’Angelo Russell to the Nets they had their chance.
Newer president of basketball operations Magic Johnson was outspoken in his support of Lonzo Ball after he was selected second overall in the 2017 draft. Ball has flirted with a triple double already, but overall, the trouble with his shot could be one that lingers with him for too long.
He has done surprisingly well rebounding the ball, but without the chance to be a scoring type of point guard, at least right now, he may run into only more problems throughout his rookie campaign.
He is averaging 8.9 points per game, while also averaging 6.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds per outing. The major problem with Ball isn’t his father’s antics anymore, but rather his ability to actually be a leader moving forward.
The arrest of his brother LiAngelo in China may also be something to consider in terms of knowing the context of Lonzo’s ability to perform. On top of that, the Lakers have lost back to back games against both Boston and Washington and are now 5-7 on the season.
With those things in mind, let me break down my three reasons for why you should be genuinely concerned about Lonzo Ball even though it is still very early in the season.