Opinion: LiAngelo Ball? These Three Teams Should Sign Him To A Training Camp Deal
NBA training camp begins later this month (Sept 28), and LiAngelo Ball still remains a free agent.
Ball is 22 years old and went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft.
This summer, he played for the Charlotte Hornets in NBA Summer League and played well.
Ball averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in just 17.4 minutes per game.
Some highlights from his time in Las Vegas, Nevada, can be seen in Tweets below.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on September 5 that Ball "likely signs an Exhibit 10".
The video from Stadium of Charania's reporting talking about Ball can be seen in a Tweet that is embedded below from Stadium.
Ball is still a free agent, and while there has not been any reported interest from these teams, I believe these three franchises are making a mistake not bringing him into training camp.
The Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets should be giving him an opportunity in training camp.
An Exhibit 10 contract is a no-risk move for any team in the NBA to get a chance to evaluate a player in their building.
Why those three teams?
For starters, the Pacers right now are a team that has good players, but does not really have any relevance around the NBA.
Ball would instantly put them on the map with the casual fan, and he could actually help them.
He made two shots from three-point range per game in Summer League, and he is a good defender.
The Pacers were miserable on defense last season.
If he did not work out in camp, they could waive him and put him in the G-League, but it's worth a shot.
Low risk, high-reward.
The Nets are another team that is making a mistake because they are expected to compete for a championship, but with such a high-priced roster, they need to find hidden gems on minimum or two-way contracts.
Ball would be perfect for that if he earned his spot in training camp and the pre-season.
He can shoot three-pointers and he can defend.
Those are the two things that championship-caliber teams need off the bench for cheap.
Lastly, the Knicks are a young playoff team that is on the rise.
They made the NBA Playoffs last season for the first time in nearly a decade and are still a young team with players like Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett.
Ball could fit into a young team that is trying to develop while also being competitive.
Not to mention Madison Square Garden would love him.
