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Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball is the biggest winner of this season

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles as Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends during the first half of a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles as Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends during the first half of a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers have not been playing how the fans expected them to play but there have been some winners on the roster.

The Los Angeles Lakers hit their peak on Christmas Day when the team thoroughly defeated the Golden State Warriors. That may end up being the pinnacle of the entire season as the Lakers have been downhill ever since.

The Lakers lost LeBron James for over a month due to the groin injury that James sustained in the game. The Lakers fell out of the playoff seeding as the young core could not step up.

Even with James back in the lineup, the Los Angeles Lakers have been unable to get back into the playoff picture. The team will win in impressive fashion over some of the best teams in the league and will follow it with a loss to a beatable team.

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The Lakers will come from behind against the Houston Rockets and hang with the Milwaukee Bucks for most of the game but then will lose to an Anthony Davis-less Pelicans, a depleted Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns.

A big reason why is because the team is without another notable contributor: Lonzo Ball. And while Ball is not happy that his team is out of the playoff picture and he is not playing to help, he has been the bigger winner of this entire plummet.

Ball has naturally been one of the most disliked players on the Lakers by their own fans. His father went on talk show after talk show to talk about how elite his son was, which naturally caused too lofty of expectations.

Despite being a factor in most of the game, it was Ball’s quirky jump shot and inability to be a consistent shooter than led many to grow sour on him.

People were already calling him a bust, not understanding exactly what he brings to the table.

Well, that has been on full display since his injury. The Lakers defense has been atrocious since Ball has been out. The Lakers are desperately missing his defense and ability to switch onto ball handlers and be a havoc-wreaker on the defensive end.

The Lakers have no problem with the pace of play and scoring the basketball. The problem is limiting baskets on the other end and not having Ball has made this significantly worse.

Suddenly, the opinion on Ball has gone from that of a bust to someone that is a huge piece to the Lakers being successful. Long gone are the tweets complaining about his jump shot and now Lakers twitter is flooding with “I miss Lonzo Ball” tweets.

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This could even lead to the Los Angeles Lakers being hesitant to trade Ball and not including him in any trade packages. Out of everyone, it has been the player that has not been playing that has won the most from this.

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