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*The NBA offseason is cooling down, but the takes at OTG aren't. This month, we are hitting you with the Hot Take Marathon. Check back every day for a spicy NBA take!*
LeBron James has left the Cleveland Cavaliers again; this time for good. He has agreed to sign a deal for 4 years, $153.3 million dollars. With plenty of time to mull over the news, many have speculated about how well Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, will play alongside The King.
Lonzo is a perfect fit for LeBron. He is 6’7”, lengthy for a point guard. He just came off a rookie season averaging 10 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds. Ball spent most of the season overshadowed by the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum, who put on electrifying scoring performances every night. With that sort of competition, it’s easy to overlook the fundamental greatness Lonzo Ball has exhibited. He runs the fast break well and can score in transition as well as throw those court-length, Kevin Love-like passes, and we know how much LeBron likes those.
The Lakers have caught heat lately because they haven’t surrounded LeBron James with shooters, which are the types of players he usually excels with. But those days are over. LeBron is entering a new phase of his career in which he will no longer play the point guard position. This is why Lonzo Ball meshes well with him. With development, his court vision and great passing ability give LeBron the opportunity to play off the ball. He will have an opportunity to catch and shoot 3-pointers, finish lob dunks, and set picks for other teammates. Playing alongside Ball, as well as the new addition of Rajon Rondo, who averaged 12 assists in the playoffs this past season, LeBron has 2 of the game’s elite passers to make shots for him. James has never had a player who could create plays for him. He was always the primary playmaker and shot creator for himself and everyone around him. This is the exact reason Bron went to the Lakers, to turn over a new leaf, not only for his success post-NBA but also for his in-game playing style over the final years of his illustrious career.