This has not been the season that LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets had in mind. Multiple ankle injuries have limited Ball to just 32 games, while the Hornets have the fourth-worst record in the league at 16-43, even after a nice 144-138 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
It can be easy to lose track of teams and players in situations like the one the Hornets are in this season, and to that point, it's likely that most casual fans are unaware that Ball has turned into a high-volume 3-point gunner.
Ball was on fire in the Hornets' win on Monday, finishing with 30 points and a career-high 15 assists on 6-of-10 from downtown to set a franchise record for the most consecutive games with a 3-pointer at 47. He's also the youngest player in league history (21 years old) to have a 3-point streak of at least 35 games. (Ball also became the first Hornets player with a 30-point, 15-assist game.)
Following Monday night's outing, Ball is now shooting 36.6 percent on 10.5 3-point attempts per game. The only players taking more 3s per game than him this season are Golden State Warriors duo Steph Curry (11.4) and Klay Thompson (10.6), and Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard (11).
If Ball keeps getting 3s up at this clip he'll join that trio, James Harden and Buddy Hield as the only players in NBA history to average at least 10 3s per game for a full season. However, it's worth noting that of the 14 other such seasons, only James Harden in 2020 (35.5 percent) has been less efficient, per Stathead.
Such offensive freedom is typically reserved for either catch-and-shoot machines or the rare stars who can consistently make pull-up 3s off the dribble. Ball leans more towards the former category (38.6 percent on catch-and-shoot attempts) but has the ball in his hands so often that he falls into the latter category as well. There, he's not so great (33.1 percent off the bounce).
The questions, then, become: How much of this is dictated by the Hornets' season falling apart and their lack of other offensive creators? And is it in the best long-term interest of both Ball and the team for him to be given such a bright green light from behind the arc?
In regards to the first one, the answer is almost certainly: a lot. The Hornets are not a good basketball team. They're young, don't play defense and have been hampered by injuries. When they get hot, their fast-paced style can lead to a lot of points, but there's no consistency there whatsoever. There are essentially no stakes either, and Ball, as the franchise player and lead ball-handler can pretty much do whatever he wants.
His postgame quote on Monday night feels relevant here: "Oh really I just shoot," Ball said when asked about the secret to setting the franchise record for consecutive games with a 3. "Just keep shooting. Shoot til your arms fall off. If you miss, shoot the next one, probably gonna go in, and if it don't hopefully the next one do."
But should he be taking so many 3s, especially off the dribble? You need to make 3s to win in the league these days, but there are times when his decision-making and shot selection leave a lot to be desired, and it's easy to envision a scenario where bad habits set in. Right now he's making enough that you can live with the volume, but not enough to be considered an elite outside threat.
This has been a fascinating experiment to watch, and Ball's flair makes it all the more entertaining. But as the Hornets try to eventually get back into playoff contention over the next few seasons, they may need Ball to refine his shot selection along the way.
