What does Lonzo Ball do for the Cleveland Cavaliers? Simply put, the former top-five pick is elevating everyone who is around him. That much is clear to spectators, including Tim Legler.
The ESPN analyst made an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast to discuss a variety of topics revolving around the start to the new NBA season. Ball and the Cavaliers came under focus pretty early on in the episode.
Legler said, "There's not that many guys I would describe in this way. His sole reason for existing on a basketball court is to make guys better on his own team. ... I loved when I played with guys that even tried to think that way. It's just so fun to play with them."
Legler added that those players who are 'willing to expend energy' on the offensive end with running and cutting are greatly rewarded for those efforts with a player like Ball. The analyst was even bold enough to compare the advanced passes of the Cavs guard to Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.
Lonzo Ball’s unselfish style still stands out in his new home with Cleveland
There was an emphasis put on how much pressure Ball's playing style puts on defenses. That was especially true for Legler when they were on their back foot, running to get in position to guard. The Cavaliers bench guard was masterful at hurting defenders in those instances.
As far as role players in the NBA go, the ESPN analyst thought Ball would be someone whose impact would be discussed through the entire season. The Cavaliers will certainly hope that much is true.
Ball has not had the perfect start with Cleveland. His scoring still leaves a lot to be desired in the early stages of the new season.
So far, Ball is only averaging 4.8 points per game, shooting 26.1 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers will need some very notable improvement from him in that department as the campaign progresses.
However, the ability to elevate his teammates is already obvious. Thus far, Ball has averaged 6.0 assists per game in 23.5 minutes per game off the bench, posting an assist percentage of 33.7. For context on the latter, that mark would rival some of Darius Garland's best seasons as a passer.
When everyone is healthy in Cleveland, the backcourt rotation for the Cavaliers should be one of the most impressive in the entire NBA. Ball working in off the bench will be a big part of that.