Best, Worst Destinations For Top 2020 NBA Draft Prospect LaMelo Ball

As things currently stand, LaMelo Ball is my top-ranked prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. The 6-foot-7 guard spent last season with the National Basketball League’s Illawarra Hawks, averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Ball struggled with his shooting throughout the year, but he showed off an unbelievable flair for the game, separating himself as the best play-making guard in this class. His creativity with the ball in his hands is a next-level trait, and it should stand out immediately in the NBA. Guys with his size shouldn’t be that good at creating off the dribble, but Ball does it time and time again.

If Ball can figure out his jumper, he has a great chance at becoming a legitimate star in the pros. But if he doesn’t, it’ll take the right fit to get the most out of him. For all his strengths, Ball does have some weaknesses heading into the pre-draft process. The Chino Hills native doesn’t score efficiently, and he isn’t exactly a stopper on the other end of the floor. And with his tendency to freestyle on the court, it’s important that Ball ends up with a coaching staff that can keep him in line, while also developing his game.

We still aren’t sure who will be picking at the top of the draft, but we do have an idea at this point. And while some of these teams are more likely to be moving up than others, I wanted to take a look at some of the best and worst fits for the 18-year-old guard.

Best

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors might not offer Ball the instant gratification of a high usage rate, but he’d immediately be entering a championship-level locker room. Golden State’s culture rubbing off on him would be the best thing possible for his career, and it’s not like the team doesn’t have any room for another play-making guard.

Last year, injuries to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson showed just how thin the Warriors are in the backcourt. The team can easily find at least 20 minutes for Ball at the guard spots, but he also has the size and length to play with the Splash Brothers. Having Ball operating as the lead guard would allow Curry to spend some time off the ball. That’d give him a few minutes to focus on catching and shooting, while also giving him some on-court rest. Meanwhile, Ball would rack up assists playing with two of the best shooters in the history of the NBA. He’d also be attacking some wide-open lanes when going to the basket.

Defensively, Ball would benefit from playing with Klay and Draymond Green. Both guys get after it on that side of the ball, and Klay’s presence would mean that Ball would never have to take on the toughest assignment.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are a disaster right now, but landing a high-upside initiator could change the trajectory of the franchise. New York might not have any organizational stability at the moment, but pairing Ball with RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson is exactly what the team needs.

In Robinson, Ball would have the perfect pick-and-roll partner, but also somebody to cover for him defensively. The importance of the latter can’t be overstated, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m willing to ignore the types of distractions a market like New York can throw at Ball. Barrett would also benefit greatly from playing with Ball, who would regularly create easy opportunities for him—a luxury Barrett did not experience in his rookie season.

Drafting Ball would also make things easy for Leon Rose. The new president of the Knicks could still go out and shop for stars, but finding 3-and-D players at shooting guard and power forward would be perfectly fine in the meantime. Considering New York has draft picks and cap space, he should be able to do that.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns aren’t likely to end up with the first pick in the draft, but they just might represent the best on-court fit for Ball. Ricky Rubio is currently starting for Phoenix, and the Spaniard was excellent in his first year with the team. But the Suns don’t have their point guard of the future on the roster right now, and adding a creator like Ball could help them take things to the next level.

A backcourt of Ball and Devin Booker would immediately become one of the most dangerous in basketball. Booker is one of the best scorers in the league, and he really thrived in his first year playing with Rubio. Ball is similar to Rubio in the way he is able to make plays, but he should be more lethal as a scorer down the road.

Deandre Ayton would also give Ball a great inside threat to pass to, but also an emerging rim protector on the other end of the floor. In addition to Ayton, Mikal Bridges would also be there to make life easier for Ball on the defensive end. And if Bridges continues to improve as a shooter, he’d certainly enjoy the clean looks that Ball can provide.

The Suns did a great job of improving their image last season. Monty Williams came in and made an immediate impact as the team’s head coach, helping the Suns turn into one of the best passing teams in all of basketball. They were also competitive almost every night, which isn’t something they could have said two years ago.

Worst

Minnesota Timberwolves

While I would definitely enjoy seeing what Ball and Karl-Anthony Towns could do together as a pick-and-pop duo, I just can’t overlook how bad Minnesota would be defensively. With last year’s trade for D’Angelo Russell, the Timberwolves need to focus on adding two-way players at nearly every other position. And while I’m not as down on Ball’s defense as others, it’s hard to imagine a lineup with three negative defenders ever achieving any long-term success.

I’m also not crazy about the offensive fit between Ball and Russell. Both players are at their best with the ball in their hands, and one would think that Russell wouldn’t be thrilled with having to spend too much time off the ball.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers really should be in the talent-acquisition phase right now, which means they shouldn’t turn down anybody that can play, regardless of position. And while I’m normally a proponent of the best-player-available approach for a team this bad, I just can’t see how Cleveland would be able to justify selecting another guard in the first round.

The Cavaliers would definitely benefit from having a guard with Ball’s vision, but this team really needs to just focus on the development of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. The best way to do that would be to continue giving them big minutes, while also adding some talent on the wing.