NBA Draft: Versatility Gives Lonzo Ball an Extra Edge

Versatility may be the difference in making Lonzo Ball the best option for the Boston Celtics

The Brooklyn Nets have been consistently bad enough this entire season, ensuring that the Boston Celtics always felt as though they were guaranteed to get a top three pick from them in the upcoming draft. It would take a miracle turn around over the last dozen or so games for the Celtics to lose the best odds at getting the top pick in the draft, but even if that can be taken for granted, it remains almost impossible to predict who they will be picking.

This is supposed to be one of the stronger drafts in a while, and it is no surprise that there are several different players who can go number one overall, and even more players that have a chance to land in the top three. The Celtics have an abundance of options when it comes to this draft, and it is good enough that it will be difficult for them to make a bad choice.

One player who always seems to be in any top three, also happens to be the most talked about player in this tournament. Markelle Fultz gets no chance at the spotlight by missing the tournament, but his biggest competition as a guard has already advanced to the round of 32, with his sights set on a lot bigger things.

Largely thanks to the media presence of his father, Lonzo Ball has become the biggest player in college this year. The best part, however, is that he has the game to backup all this attention that LaVar is bringing down on him. Even before the tournament, Ball was always going to be considered by the Celtics, even if the consensus appears to be that Fultz is the top prospect

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Tournament performance aside, there is one thing that may give Ball the extra edge he needs over Fultz when it comes to being evaluated by the Celtics, versatility.

If the Celtics are selecting yet another guard with a top three pick, the long term idea will be to have him playing alongside Isaiah Thomas, or, if things do not work out contract wise, Marcus Smart. Both of them give the Celtics the underrated luxury of being able to play both the one and the two. Having guards that can be effective as a one and a two is crucial for the Celtics, and may be the key to unlocking their offensive potential.

In his freshman year at UCLA, Ball is proving to be one of the most versatile guards we have seen in a long time, and he may be an ideal player to put next to Thomas. Ball clearly has the passing and ball handling ability to be the primary ball handler, but he has shown a willingness to play off the ball, because of the impact it has on the team. Ball has shown a willingness to sacrifice his potential role, and has the exact kind of unselfishness that every player on the Celtics need. Ball has the ability to do as much as anyone in this draft, and he is doing it with the kind of mentality and intelligence that the Celtics continually look for

There are certain situations where Stevens is always going to want the ball in Thomas’ hands. Their offense is at their best when he is instigating everything, and making sure the ball is moving and his teammates are getting involved. That being said, his real potential as a scorer is seen when he plays off the ball. If the Celtics can find a consistently great ball handler to play next to Thomas, that is how they can peak with their offensive talent.

The Celtics have an offense that is constantly moving and creating space for players. When the Celtics get a ball handler next to Thomas, he is in a much better position to get open looks, and have a bigger impact as a pure scorer. Ball is a player that can certainly play that role next to Thomas, allowing him to be a shoot first player.

Ball has also been an absolutely deadly shooter, that could flourish with a player like Thomas creating space for him. In addition to wanting a guard that will allow Thomas to play off the all, they need a guard that they can trust to finish the opportunities created by Thomas. Avery Bradley has flourished in that role this season, but with an uncertain future, Ball could be a deadly replacement as a two guard.

Ball’s shooting efficiency this season has been absolutely remarkable. He is a clear threat from anywhere on the court, and an effective field goal percentage of 66.7 is reaching the point of being ridiculous for a guard. He may have an odd shooting form from three, but Ball has been getting the results that they Celtics would need out of their two guard as a shooter they can trust.

Ball’s ability to play the one and the two is what makes him the best match to play along with Thomas or Smart in this year’s draft, and that is still not the extent of his versatility.

The Celtics could even use Ball similarly to the way they are using Jaylen Brown this season. Ball comes in at 6’6, giving him more than enough size to move around and play the three. Ball’s size could certainly help the Celtics on the boards, and should allow for an easier transition on the defensive end in the NBA, which is the key to playing the three for Boston.

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The Celtics will not find another guard in this draft that has the versatility of Ball, and that is on top of his unbelievable ability as a ball handler as a shooter. The Celtics certainly have other strong candidates to take in this draft, but that versatility gives Ball some of the best potential to be a contributor right away, while being molded into the kind of player that can lead this team in the future.

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