LaMelo Ball is one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft. Does he make sense for the Chicago Bulls, though?
LaMelo Ball is the best pure-talent in the 2020 NBA draft class. At 6-foot-7, he has elite length for a point guard and he uses that length to his advantage both offensively and defensively.
Taking an unconventional path to the NBA, Ball already has plenty of professional experience. After a nice season for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia, he won the National Basketball League Rookie of the Year award. I love when draft prospects have professional experience. There’s something about playing against grown men instead of college kids that provides a huge advantage heading into the NBA.
Ball put up solid numbers in his one season with the Hawks. He was second on his team in scoring, averaging 17 points per game and he led the team in assists, dropping seven per game. Where LaMelo struggles is his scoring efficiency. In his 12 games with Illawarra, Ball shot a disgusting 37 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point land. Obviously, he’ll have to find ways to be more efficient if he wants to succeed in the NBA.
He shouldn’t have too many problems becoming more efficient as he matures, though. He’s still only 18 years old. Once he gets with NBA shooting coaches and develops a better shot selection, he’ll be fine.
LaMelo’s handle is tight, his vision is elite and his general feel for the game is special. But does he make sense for the Chicago Bulls?
The Bulls’ best young prospect right now is Coby White. He came on strong over the last nine games of the 2019-20 season, putting up monster scoring numbers, showing defensive upside and flashing potential as a playmaker. Since White’s future is promising, maybe it makes more sense to draft someone who fills a positional need for Chicago?
Nope.
If LaMelo Ball is there for the taking, the Bulls should absolutely snag him. The NBA is a superstar-driven league and Ball has superstar potential. Plus, with White’s ability to play off the ball and Ball’s huge frame, they could be a dynamic backcourt pairing. It would likely mean that Zach LaVine would need to find a new home, but if that’s the case, then so be it. The Bulls could turn LaVine into some nice assets to help build around White, Ball and Wendell Carter Jr.
Would it be nice if Ball filled a positional need for the Bulls? Of course. But that’s not the reality of the situation. Regardless of positional needs, it would be foolish for the Bulls to pass on someone with as much talent as LaMelo Ball.