LaMelo Ball has been very impressive this season. And DeMarcus Cousins believes he is currently a better player than Damian Lillard. Speaking on the ‘Run it Back‘ show, Lillard told Lou Williams that he thinks Melo is a top-5 point guard in the NBA and is currently a better point guard than Lillard.
“He [LaMelo] is for sure over Dame right now. In this moment, right now, I think LaMelo is outperforming Dame. Overall, I’m obviously going to take Dame. In this moment, it’s LaMelo for me.”
LaMelo is playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career right now. To start the season, Ball is averaging 31.1 points, 6.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.0% from the field, 35.6% from the three-point line, and 84.8 from the free-throw line.
By contrast, Damian Lillard has been averaging 26.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field, 35.8% from the three-point line, and 92.0% from the free-throw line.
Melo has had an incredible run so far, with 12 games this season with 30+ points. He also achieved his career high in points last weekend when he dropped 50 points against Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks. It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to suggest that we are seeing the best version of LaMelo Ball yet.
But as good as LaMelo has been, the Charlotte Hornets haven’t been able to capitalize on his strong run of performances. The Hornets have started the season with a 6-12 record, and currently sit 12th in the Eastern Conference. It is strange to see considering just how strong a performer Melo has been that he hasn’t been able to impact winning for the Hornets just yet.
While some criticism can be aimed at Ball for not helping his team win, there have to be questions asked of the rest of the Hornets’ roster. To not be able to close out games when you have a star playing at such a high level is embarrassing, and the team must do everything in their power to make good use of his excellent performances.
Should LaMelo Ball Demand A Trade?
If the Hornets don’t turn things around, LaMelo Ball could find himself getting frustrated with his situation. A player of his talent won’t want to have his strong performances wasted by a bad team. And he could look to greener pastures and demand a trade to a better team.
The Hornets have been one of the worst teams in the NBA, not just over the last few years, but in history. The franchise has almost never been able to cultivate All-Stars, and the last All-Star they developed, Kemba Walker, would end up leaving the team in 2019 to join the Celtics.
The Hornets haven’t reached the NBA playoffs at all since drafting LaMelo Ball. A lot of it has to do with Ball’s injury issues, but it shows that they haven’t built a roster strong enough to at least compete at a high level. One has to imagine if they miss the playoffs again this season, that Ball could look to leave the team.
Which team should trade for LaMelo Ball should he decide to demand an exit? We here at Fadeaway World tried to answer this question, which you can read here.
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