The Philadelphia 76ers are no stranger to the NBA Draft in recent years. But despite the carnage of three seasons, the team has yet to land the second pick. If they do land at two, is UCLA PG Lonzo Ball the pick?
The 2017 NBA Draft tempts the Philadelphia 76ers fans with a myriad of scenarios, actions, choices and reactions. You see, as it now stands, the Philadelphia 76ers could land a first round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft anywhere from the first to the seventh spot. All of that is completely independent of the Philadelphia 76ers draft enrichment with the first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, which independently can come in anywhere from the fourth to the sixth pick of the draft.
After all the bruhaha over NBA Lottery odds and swapping picks, the Philadelphia 76ers have a 15.9 percent chance of landing the second pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. While that is only slightly better than the chance of the first with 14.7 percent likelihood, the fall to two creates a huge quandry.
In short, do the Philadelphia 76ers pick UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball at two?
While some may argue over the value of his play in terms of the grand scheme, I am simply focusing on whether the Philadelphia 76ers select him at number two
Four Reasons To Select Lonzo Ball At Two
While not unanimous, the overall consensus of the 2017 NBA Draft is simply the presumption that if you are not picking point guard Markelle Fultz in the 2017 NBA Draft, your next best selection is point guard Lonzo Ball
Pippen Ain't Easy
REASON ONE: He’s BIG
UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball is a 6-foot-6 point guard and he truly is a point guard. That being said, he fits the Philadelphia 76ers roster in that bigger seems to be better. Compared to 6-foot-10 Ben Simmons at the one position, with 7-foot-2 Joel Embiid expecting to stand under the basket at the five role, Ball is a runt. In fact, he would only measure taller than three of the Philadelphia 76ers returning players.
With the team skyscraping while the rest of the NBA continues to lean towards small ball, the Philadelphia 76ers are assuming some amount of risk. But if the team is as good on court as the sneak previews from January 2017, this will be the future direction of the NBA.
REASON TWO: He’s GOOD
Another not so surprising fact, he’s very good. He contributes at all areas of the game. While scoring 14.6 points, he also pulls down six rebounds, tosses out 7.6 assists, steals 1.8 and blocks .8 shots a game. On top of that, he is at home at the perimeter, where he knocks down 41.2 percent of his shots from long range.
And he’s young. He is one more example of the “one and done” NCAA crop who played a mandatory year in the NCAA just to fill the regulations. That means he is still very much on the progression of talent and skill.
More Reasons For YAY
REASON THREE: He’s got great court vision and uncanny accuracy for an ugly shot mechanic
The player you expect to pull from the second pick of the NBA Draft had better be ready to start when the preseason is over, and he’d better have some special talent.
The reason Lonzo Ball is a legitimate pick near the top of the 2017 NBA Draft is simply that he sees virtually everything on the basketball court, processes it instantly, and moves the ball in the direction of the best shot developing on the court.
That means he has no problem shooting the ball if that is the shot. To quote ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla :
"“He’s as good a passer as anybody who’s come into the league in the last 40 years,” Fraschilla said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Magic, Jason Kidd, Ben Simmons, this kid has transcendent passing ability. He sees teammates who are open before they even realize they’re open.”"
That’s quite an endorsement.
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Reason Four: Confidence
There is no shortage of confidence in Lonzo Ball. And if you are about to enter a man’s league at the tender age of 19 years, you had better have lots of confidence. In a nutshell, Lonzo Ball is oozing confidence.
Ridicule his father all you want, the praise and pedestal Lavar Ball has heaped upon his son has integrated with Lonzo’s mindset. He doesn’t back down from competition. In fact, he creates it.
Most prospects shy away from calling out other highly regarded players. Lonzo Ball really seems to seek it out. He’s not only claimed he is better than Markelle Fultz, but he has outright sought (begged comes to mind) a selection by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since there is better than even money that first pick of the Lakers falls to the 76ers, he is seeking other teams to pass on him until the Lakers selection at 28. Oops!
Four Reasons NOT To Select Lonzo Ball At Two
Lonzo Ball is not a unanimous pick at two in the 2017 NBA Draft. And similar to the top three reasons to select him, there are four good reasons not to choose him.
REASON ONE: Ugly Shot Mechanics
Lonzo Ball’s shot is unorthodox. In fact, it’s an ugly shot which seems to have no business going in. But it often does.
It comes down to a matter of faith as to whether that shot translates into the NBA. For my part, I am skeptical.
Swarm and Sting
It’s a slow shot that crosses the right hand to the left side of his body. I believe NBA defenses will eat that shot alive.REASON TWO: UCLA Roster was stacked with talent.
Loaded Team
Unlike a Markelle Fultz struggling as a great talent on a poorly constructed and schemed team, UCLA was loaded with talent for Lonzo Ball. The UCLA Bruins had six players scoring in double digits. The team boasted three other players with a three-point shot at or better than that of Lonzo Ball.
In short, is Lonzo Ball simply a player getting the benefit of a loaded roster? Would a T.J. McConnell appear equally gifted if he dished out to those shooters? The team average accuracy for field goals was 52.2 percent. That accuracy not only drives up assists, but tends to help in any number of ways.
It’s tough to claim a player is one of the best entering the NBA, when he sits third or fourth on his team stats sheet.
More Reasons For NAY
REASON THREE: He doesn’t shoot a long two point shot. In fact, even his free throw is suspect.
To survive in the NBA, a player must be unpredictable. Players quickly learn that their trends and habits leave them vulnerable. If a team knows you do not like to shoot inside the arc, they will defend you at the perimeter and in the paint.
That’s the case for Lonzo Ball, and the case is hammered home by CBSSports.com’s Colin Ward-Henninger. And if we know that now, you can bet they will know that in the NBA long before he arrives.
"According to Hoop-Math.com, Ball has made just two shots in 22 games so far this season that weren’t 3s or dunks. And he has only attempted 11 of them. Eleven! While you pick your jaw up off the floor, let’s examine what that means. Some might tout the stat as a sign that Ball is ready for the modern NBA, a paragon of the Daryl Morey/Stephen Curry nature of a league where 3s reign supreme and we scoff at low-percentage 2-point jump shots."
Just wow. That’s a huge “OOPS” in his resume.
Free Throws Costly
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In fact, there is more. On one hand, he attempted 98 free throws and made 66 of them, for an accuracy of 67.3 percent. Point guards routinely take the ball to the hoop, and draw the fouls in the process. On the other hand, Markelle Fultz played far fewer games, but shot 168 free throws and made 109 of them. Basketball is a contact sport after all.
REASON FOUR: Defense
Lonzo Ball relied heavily on teammates to defend the basket. That’s due to the simple fact that he is simply not very good at defense. Is it a skill a prospect can learn in the NBA? Perhaps. But as some would point to the case of Jahlil Okafor, the team should anticipate the possibility of little improvement.
And there is the rub.
On one hand, the Philadelphia 76ers, for all intents and purposes, need defensive skills in the backcourt. With 2016 first round draft pick Ben Simmons coming to the point guard role, that would give the team a challenge to have that much pressure on the remaining lineup. On the other hand, while Joel Embiid adds quite a luster to any tin-plated defense, I doubt even he could stop the opponents if Ball is lost.
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Ultimately, the young man practically begged the LA Lakers to choose him. If the 76ers have anyone rated close to his skillset, that could be enough to turn their interests elsewhere.