Los Angeles Lakers: Tyler Ennis has had positive impact on Lonzo Ball

According to recent rumblings, Los Angeles Lakers’ 23-year-old point guard Tyler Ennis has been a positive role model to rookie Lonzo Ball in the short time they have known one another.

The Los Angeles Lakers are an extremely youthful team, and their 0-3 record in the preseason is indicative of that. The trio of losses suggests that a lot of business still needs to be taken care of behind the scenes. Granted the results are not there yet, there are still some positives within the organization.

One such bright spot derives itself from a surprising source: Tyler Ennis. It is curious because some were not too sure as to who the Lakers’ backup point guard would be this season.

Be that as it may, Ennis seemed to lock down the role due to how well he played in the later stages of last year. In his final ten ballgames, he scored in double digits on seven occasions.

Additionally, the 23-year-old showed flashes of how good a ball distributor he can be as well. During that same homestretch, the floor general collected six dimes at one point versus Western Conference juggernaut San Antonio.

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It is a small sample size to analyze. Although that is fair to say, Ennis definitely proved in the later portions of the 2016-2017 campaign that he is a capable ballplayer. He may not be a flashy, household name, but can still get the job done.

Over the course of the preseason, this trend has sustained itself. In just 13.7 minutes a game, Tyler has averaged seven points and a little over four assists.

Such numbers, as was said before, are not flashy in nature. Nevertheless, they signify that Ennis is serviceable.

What Ennis is doing has not gone unnoticed by head coach Luke Walton. Earlier this week, Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints shared Luke’s thoughts on the young point guard on Twitter.

Albeit the Lakers have only played three preseason games, Ennis’ performances have been worthy enough of praise. Praise has been tougher to come by due to the current learning curve throughout the organization.

The abovementioned positivity thus exemplifies that Tyler’s chances of being Los Angeles’ backup PG are sky high. Certainly, too, if the young man keeps it up, it could lead to an increase in the minutes department.

The increase in minutes may be justified for another reason, though. Rookie sensation Lonzo Ball’s current status remains questionable by virtue of a mild left ankle sprain.

In spite of that undesirable truth, Ball is another source who is not questioning Ennis’ impact. The young blood recently commented on the type of presence Tyler has been for him in a short period of time. Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters did not miss a beat when it came to sharing Ball’s perspective.

The former tweet, in particular, is important to get a second glimpse of. It exhibits that Ennis’ influence has been beneficial for Ball’s advancement.

While Kentavious Caldwell-Pope similarly projects to be a role model for Lonzo’s development, it is encouraging that someone as young as Ennis is doing what he is doing.

It validates the idea that age is nothing more than a number. Most mentors generally do not fall under the 23-year-old plateau. Although that may be true, the Lakers will probably not be filing any complaints about this being the case.

Los Angeles Lakers

L.A. is in dire need of individuals who are not afraid to set an example. This instance reveals that Ennis could gradually mature into such a player as the year progresses.

Taking care of the self and simply making the right plays in certain sequences sounds basic on paper. On the other hand, that is by no means reasonable to assert.

Even professional athletes struggle to live up to the first part at times. Take Julius Randle and Ivica Zubac for the sake of consideration. Until the summer came around, it is no secret that the big fellas were not in tip-top shape.

As for the secondary chunk of the equation, trying to do a wee bit too much (especially for young, eager players) is nothing the league has not seen before.

Ennis seems to do just the right amount, though, more often than not. He is not an overwhelming player. However, his overall solid shot selection and on point passing make him an asset worth paying attention to.

The fact that Lonzo detects this says a lot, too, because so much hype has surrounded the former UCLA Bruin.

Despite there being multiple questions regarding the team, it is feasible to claim that Ennis’ role on the team is not up in the air.

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This does not take away from the fact that many eyes will still be on Lonzo Ball in the future. Notwithstanding the veracity of that statement, Ennis may deserve more praise if Ball lives up to the high expectations.