Detroit Pistons: 4 reason to make a trade for Lonzo Ball

Passing

Lonzo Ball’s reputation as a passer is well established and certainly deserved. As a rookie in Los Angeles with very limited talent around him, he averaged 7.3 assists per game. After a more down season playing off-ball while LeBron James racked up assists, he is back to his dime-dishing ways, having dropped 7.0 assists per game in New Orleans.

It was popular (albeit frustrating for some) to hear the impressive alley-oop passes thrown to Zion Williamson compared to the Lob City LA Clippers. Now imagine Blake Griffin is healthy and Ball can sprinkle in some of those to Griffin.

Ball sees angles of the court in a way many would compare to LeBron James and Ben Simmons. The Pistons have not had a player average 7.0 or more assists per game since Reggie Jackson averaged 9.2 per game in 2014-2015. Even the biggest Jackson fans would acknowledge that the comparison of the two players as a passer is not close.

Better yet, if Christian Wood re-signs, he was already one of the more entertaining lob catchers in the league when he had guards that were not up for the task. Replacing Jackson with a guard who thrives in that role and would rather set up his teammates than take over the game himself and that is a recipe for success.