Los Angeles Lakers: How have Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma developed this season
The Los Angeles Lakers young core has gone through the wringer recently. But, with the NBA Trade Deadline now past, we take a look at the development Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma have shown this season.
The trade deadline’s passed and the Los Angeles Lakers made only two small moves. However, a bigger move was attempted to be made.
Even though Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka tried their hardest to move Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis, a deal was never made. The young core will finish up the season with the Lakers, so let’s see if they’ve made progress from last year.
The first player we will take a look at is Ball.
Lonzo Ball:
2017-2018 per game stats: 10.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 6.9 RPG, 1.7 SPG, .305 3P%, .420 2P%
2018-2019 per game stats: 9.9 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, .329 3P%, .482 2P%
Lonzo’s PPG, APG, RPG, and SPG have all gone down since last year, but that doesn’t mean that he’s regressed this season. His 3-point percentage and his 2-point percentage have both gone up this year versus last. The reason most of his counting stats have gone down this season is that he’s playing with LeBron James.
There are three areas where Lonzo has really improved this year
- During Lonzo’s rookie season he shot 49% at the rim, while this year he’s shooting 60% within 3 feet.
- He’s gotten much better playing out of the pick-and-roll this year. Last year he rarely worked out the pick-and-roll, but when he did run pick-and-roll sets, he never looked to get to the rim, but this year he’s not afraid to attack the paint.
- Lonzo’s on-ball defense has vastly improved this year, so-much-so, that he might be the best defensive point guard in the league already.
There are two areas where Lonzo’s regressed this year:
- His free throw shooting has gone from awful last year to truly cringe-worthy this season
- His block percentage last season was at 2%, while this season it’s at 1%.
When Lonzo first came into the league many people said he was the next Jason Kidd, but so far Ball is nowhere near the player Kidd was during his 2nd season. Kidd averaged 17 points to go along with 10 assists as a sophomore in the NBA.
I think Draymond Green is the better player to compare Lonzo with. During Green’s 2nd season he was 23 years old and averaged six points, five rebounds, and two assists while shooting 33% from beyond the arc. Green, like Lonzo, played excellent defense during his 2nd year in the league and knew how to make an impact on the game even though he wasn’t putting the ball in the basket.
Green has made three All-Star games with a career nine points per game average. If Lonzo Ball is going to become an All-Star and a top-20 player in the league, he’s going to have to follow the blueprint that Draymond has laid out for him. He’ll have to have to make a huge impact on the game, even if he doesn’t score the ball well.
Based off of Lonzo’s stats it seems odd to say that he has the highest ceiling out of any of the young Lakers, but it’s true. Lonzo’s max, is a better passing version of Draymond Green, while his floor is Ricky Rubio.