Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds last season. There are questions about his decision-making and the seriousness with which he takes the game, but the Wolves love his size, shot creation and playmaking. Maybe even more importantly, the Hornets were 11.6 points per 100 possessions better on offense with Ball on the floor last season, per Cleaning The Glass. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte’s terrific rookie, made 46 percent of his 3-pointers when Ball was on the court. That number dipped to 37 percent when he was off. Ball helped lead the Hornets to a 34-17 record after Jan. 1, a stretch in which they posted the No. 1-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense.
“We needed a guy like LaMelo to make everybody better,” one team source told The Athletic. “That was the thing that was missing.”
New York Times
