For the last four games, New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry has brought Lonzo Ball off the bench in favor of second-year wing Kenrich Williams. The change to the starting lineup hasn’t resulted in any more wins for the Pelicans, but Gentry is hopeful that his decision will garner results sooner rather than later.
Before the Pelicans tipped off against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Gentry said that he’s hoping that having Ball run the second unit will give his team the boost they need to break their 12-game losing streak:
Alvin Gentry mentioned in pregame that Lonzo Ball's move to the bench is a strategic one. Starting lineup needed better flow — lets call it size — while bench unit, a legit spark.
Pelicans bench unit has worst +/- and FG% since Nov. 22nd. They had been much better previously. pic.twitter.com/snQIUAHhdY
— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) December 15, 2019
But while the change hasn’t had much of an affect on the second unit, it’s made the first unit better. In 82 minutes together, the five-man lineup of Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Williams, Brandon Ingram and Jaxson Hayes has posted a net rating of +17.4. For context, the five-man lineup of Ball, Holiday, Redick, Ingram and Hayes has posted a net rating of -13.2 in 58 minutes together.
The hope is that the roster will look more balancer and, most of all, better once Zion Williamson returns to the fold, and if it doesn’t, changes will likely need to be made. With the type of impact — or lack thereof — that Ball has made on the Pelicans to start the season, he may end up being one of the first names they consider moving.
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The trade deadline is on Feb. 6.