4. Lonzo Ball
2018-19 per game stats: 9.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5 APG, 1.44 SPG, .408 FG%, .335 3P%
VORP: 0.7, 3rd on the Lakers
WS: 1.2 7th on the Lakers
DEFRTG (last 10 games, minimum 15 minutes per game): 101.4, 5th on the Lakers
OFFRTG (last 10 games, minimum 15 minutes per game): 97.4, 10th on the Lakers
MOET: 6
Lonzo Ball’s been up and down since LeBron got injured, but he’s had more highs than lows. He’s ranked 23rd in the NBA in Defensive Rating (minimum 15 minutes per game) over the last 10 contests. He’s currently 7th on the Lakers in 3-point percentage, but he’s only two percentage points away from being 4th on the team.
Overall, Lonzo’s improved as the season’s gone on, but his free throw shooting is starting to scare me (I’m worried so much about his free throw shooting that I’m going to write 1,000 words about it in the next 7 days).
Over the last 10 games, Lonzo is shooting 26% from the charity stripe and he doesn’t even look likes he trying to make them. Right now, Lonzo Ball is the least confident free throw shooter I’ve ever seen.
Even though Lonzo can barely hit the rim from the charity stripe, that hasn’t deterred him from getting to the rack. He’s attacking the rim at a greater rate and he’s starting to get more done out of the pick-and-roll, both bode well for Lonzo’s future.