Why the Atlanta Hawks Should and Shouldn’t Draft LaMelo Ball
By Dallin Duffy
Why the Atlanta Hawks Shouldn’t Draft LaMelo Ball
1. Maybe He wouldn’t fit next to Trae
Drafting Ball and either forcing him to play backup to Trae Young or slide to a different position to play with him would not be taking advantage of his top-tier playmaking.
Their similarities don’t end on offense, however, which is a negative. LaMelo is not a naturally gifted defender like brother Lonzo, and while he has the athleticism and IQ to develop into a plus defender, the Hawks should want a more established defensive threat to pair with Trae.
2. He would “Help” the Hawks’ poor team shooting
Outside of Kevin Huerter, Trae Young, John Collins, and later-on-in-the-season Cam Reddish, the Hawks lacked consistent shooting from deep and need to surround their young stars with more of a perimeter presence on offense.
Ball has a funky release and shot just 25 percent from three in the NBL. With many players in the draft capable of shooting from high clips as rookies, LaMemlo’s lack of outside scoring makes it tough to say he’s worth a top-five pick.
3. Better options
The biggest knock on Ball’s fit in Atlanta is simply that there are better options at the top of the draft. He unquestionably has the potential to become an All-Star down the road, but if you have to squint to see a fit with Trae Young while others would slide right in smoothly, that’s a red flag.
Given the fact that’s he going to be a top-five pick, likely top-three, that’s a pretty big red flag to overlook, even if you believe he’s the best player in the class.
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Should the Atlanta Hawks draft LaMelo Ball?