The Los Angeles Lakers have not yet figured out how to end the shooting woes of their prized rookie, Lonzo Ball. In 15 games so far, Ball has struggled mightily with his shot. According to ESPN, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has a 30.3 percent shooting percentage this season, that includes a 23 percent clip from the three-point territory.
The performance of Lonzo Ball in the first few games of the Lakers' campaign may be surprising to some, especially for the people who followed his career and had high hopes when he turned pro.
During his days playing for Chino Hills and UCLA, the 20-year-old displayed his capability of becoming an explosive scorer. That was one of the reasons why he was a top prospect in the class of 2017.
In a recent episode of FS1's First Things First, analyst Nick Wright proposed a potential solution that could help the Lakers solve the Lonzo Ball dilemma. However, it is a drastic move that would see Ball temporarily leave the NBA.
Wright believes that Ball is losing confidence with the latest developments in his career. For him to regain it, he suggested that the Lakers should send the rookie to the NBA G League.
It is because the competition there is similar to the one Ball had in college. Once he gets the confidence back, he can return to the NBA and show that he belongs.
Starting Ball
Despite all the negatives, the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach Luke Walton still has faith in Lonzo Ball. That is why he will hold on to the starting job. Walton spoke about this matter after the squad's practice on November 16.
"He's our starting point guard," Walton said according to ESPN. The 37-year-old, who is in his second year as the head coach of the Lakers, denied that Lonzo Ball got demoted to a bench role.
In the past two outings of the Lakers, Ball started but never saw action in the fourth quarter. Instead of using him, Walton decided to go with fourth-year guard Jordan Clarkson, who is a bright spot for the purple and gold franchise this season.
Clarkson is among the early favorites to win the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Suns out
Lonzo Ball has a chance to redeem himself on November 17 when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Phoenix Suns for the third time this season. The Lakers have won their first two meetings with the Suns, which were both on the road. Ball is familiar with the Suns since it was against them when he recorded his career-high 29 points. Though in the last time these teams faced each other, Ball just tallied seven points.