Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball might be one of the NBA's most polarizing stars today. As great as he can potentially be, there are just some issues that are holding him back, including his tendency to be a shot-chucker, although that reputation does not really hold water. Still, it would be ideal for the Hornets if he could take advantage of his elite passing skills.
On a recent episode of his show, the Game Theory podcast, Sam Vecenie questioned whether Ball knows what an efficient shot is. To be fair, the draft guru praised him for being "gifted with the ball," but he cannot help but be concerned that his "decision-making tree in terms of when to shoot, what shots to take, what is an efficient shot — all of that is a little bit off right now."
According to Vecenie, Ball's "greatest weapon," which he should use more often, is his passing ability. Earlier in the show, Vecenie spoke highly of Melo being one of the sport's most naturally gifted ball-handlers and pick-and-roll playmakers. Perhaps like the media personality, many fans would rather see the former Rookie of the Year facilitate more for his teammates than call his own shots.
The 24-year-old point guard deserves more love in this regard, though, as the situations he has been in while suiting up for the Hornets have not exactly allowed him to showcase his impressive court vision. Instead, he has had no choice but to be more of a scorer and a high-usage star.
During his first two years in the league, the best teammates he had were the inefficient Terry Rozier, oft-injured Gordon Hayward, and Miles Bridges. In the following seasons, Charlotte's front office couldn't create a more competitive roster, although it didn't help that Ball had to spend a lot of time on the injury list.
LaMelo Ball's passing can unlock this version of the Hornets
The good news is that the Hornets now have the potential to field a lineup that could allow Ball to prove further that he is more than just a shot-chucker.
With Brandon Miller and Collin Sexton possessing the ability to capitalize on his passes, the likes of Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley spacing the floor, Bridges providing sound secondary offensive creation, and Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner mastering how to be his pick-and-roll partner, he could average a career-high in assists this year.
As a matter of fact, Charlotte will need Ball to unleash his playmaking prowess if it dreams of keeping up with the league's best. Only Spencer Dinwiddie, besides him, has established the capability of facilitating the offense.
So, Ball carries the massive burden of helping turn the Hornets into contenders. Hopefully, he is up to the task.