From the moment he was traded to New Orleans, Lonzo Ball was seen as a perfect backcourt mate for Jrue Holiday. On Media Day, Ball fielded a pair of questions about Holiday and made it known that he was coming in with full intentions of being receptive to the veteran guard.
“He’s the captain. He’s an All-Star in this league. Everybody knows that. My job is to help him get as many wins as we can.”
Ball was also asked about playing alongside Holiday and how the two would share the backcourt together.
“I think we’ll fit great together. Our games kind of feed off each other and I look forward to play with him this year.”
Much of the focus on Ball and Holiday has been on the defensive end where the two will certainly be a force. But offensively, the two complement each other tremendously as well.
Both have experience playing on- and off-ball which will make the transition much smoother. Holiday actually had one of his best seasons playing next to Rajon Rondo, a point guard with a similar skillset to Ball.
Meanwhile, Ball spent much of last season playing off the ball next to LeBron James. While his jumper wasn’t falling consistently last season, he found ways to be productive, another important skill developed that could lead to success in New Orleans.
Most importantly for New Orleans, the Pelicans will almost certainly always have a starter-quality point guard with above average defense on the court at all times, assuming the two have their minutes staggered. Seeing Ball or Holiday potentially harrass backup point guards could spell long days for opponents this season.
