Grading LaMelo Ball in Every Category That Matters to the Timberwolves So Far

LaMelo Ball hasn't exactly made life quite so easy for the Minnesota Timberwolves through his first seven games this season.

There have been some really encouraging performances, including a 21-point opening night against Miami and a 24-point performance against the Clippers. He's also shown why Minnesota wanted him in the first place, using his passing ability to create opportunities that the Timberwolves didn't always have before he arrived.

But there's been some pretty ugly nights mixed in, too. Ball has struggled with turnovers, gotten into awful foul trouble, gone through some brutal shooting stretches, and hasn't always looked comfortable running the offense. That's become a bigger concern with Anthony Edwards expected to miss around two months.

Minnesota will need Ball to be more than an occasional scoring spark. He doesn't have to replace Edwards by himself, but he does need to make things easier for everyone else. Through seven games, here's how he's graded out in the areas that matter most.

Scoring: C

There is a lot more scoring potential here than what Ball's 14.4 points per game suggests. We've already seen him put together a couple of big performances, but the problem is how quickly things can go the other way.

His 24 points against the Clippers were encouraging. He knocked down six three-pointers and looked comfortable taking on a bigger scoring role. Ball's 21 points against Miami were another example of what Minnesota can get when he's aggressive.

Then there are the other nights. Ball scored eight against Golden State and managed just 10 against San Antonio. Those performances are particularly disappointing considering how much more the Timberwolves need from him without Edwards.

The biggest frustration is that Ball doesn't always seem interested in looking for his own shot until Minnesota needs him to. He's a talented enough scorer to put pressure on opposing defenses, but he has stretches where he almost disappears offensively.

He can be a legitimate scoring threat. Minnesota needs to see it more than once every few games.

Shooting: C+

LaMelo is shooting around 39% from the field and 35% from three over seven games. Neither number is particularly impressive, especially for a guard who will have the ball in his hands as much as Ball does.

The encouraging part is that he's shown he can get hot. He made four of five three-pointers against Toronto and 6-for-14 against the Clippers. When he's hitting those shots, the Timberwolves have another dangerous perimeter threat who can stretch the floor.

The problem is what happens when he’s not on and is shooting erratically. Ball went 3-of-11 against Golden State before following it up with a 2-of-10 performance against San Antonio.

Minnesota can live with some missed shots. It can't afford to let Ball keep forcing difficult looks when he's clearly struggling. He's too important to the offense for those stretches to become a regular occurrence.

Playmaking: B+

This is the one area where Ball has given Minnesota a pretty good reason to feel optimistic.

He's averaging 6.3 assists, and there have already been several games where his playmaking has kept him impacting the game despite his shooting struggles. His eight assists against Toronto and Golden State stand out, especially considering he scored just eight points in the latter game.

Ball sees things not many players can. He can get the ball up the floor quickly, find teammates in tight windows, and create opportunities without needing to dominate every possession. That's something Minnesota should be able to take advantage of once the rest of the offense settles in.

The turnovers are becoming a problem and absolutely need to be cleaned up. Ball had seven against Cleveland, six against Golden State, and five against San Antonio. That's 18 turnovers in the last three games.

It's difficult to build an offense around a point guard who gives the ball away frequently. His vision is a major asset, but sometimes he seems more interested in making a spectacular play than simply making the right one.

Defense: C

Nobody expected Ball to come to Minnesota and suddenly become a lockdown defender. Still, there are times when his defense makes it difficult for the Timberwolves to keep him on the floor.

He has shown some activity in the passing lanes, recording multiple steals in several games. His three steals against San Antonio were a positive, even when almost everything else went wrong.

But there's a difference between occasionally getting your hands on the ball and consistently being a good defender. Ball still needs to do a better job of staying engaged and making opponents work for their opportunities.

Minnesota has enough defensive talent around him to help cover some of those weaknesses. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert can take on difficult assignments, but that doesn't mean Ball can afford to take possessions off.

Hustle: B+

Ball isn't always going to have his shots fall, and that's fine. What matters is whether he can find other ways to help the team.

Ball, to his credit, has also shown some willingness to get involved defensively and create turnovers. Those little contributions matter when the offense isn't working.

The frustrating part is that his effort can be inconsistent. There are possessions when he looks completely engaged and others when he seems content to let the game come to him.

I don't think this is a major problem yet, but it's something worth watching. With Edwards out, Minnesota needs everyone contributing, and Ball can't afford to limit his impact to whatever happens offensively.

Leadership: C+

This is where things get a little more complicated.

Ball is now in a position where Minnesota needs him to take control of the offense. He's one of the team's most talented players, and Edwards' absence creates an opportunity for him to establish himself as someone the Timberwolves can lean on.

There have been flashes of that. His performance against the Clippers was exactly what Minnesota needed, and his ability to find open teammates gives him a natural opportunity to lead the offense.

But the losses to Cleveland, Golden State, and San Antonio exposed some of the problems. When things aren't going well, Ball needs to be the player who settles everyone down rather than contributing to the chaos.

It's probably unfair to put too much pressure on him this early in his Minnesota career. He's still learning his teammates and adjusting to a different system. But the Timberwolves didn't bring him in to be another talented player. They need him to help run the team.

That's something he still has to prove.

Overall fit and vibes: B-

I actually like the fit more than some of the early struggles might suggest. Edwards being out has the vibes obviously lower than at the start of the season, but the team still fits well.

Ball has given Minnesota a different kind of playmaker, and his ability to create shots for himself and others adds something the offense can use.

The bigger question is whether he can play within what Minnesota needs. There are times when Ball's creativity is a huge advantage, but other times when he tries to do too much. The turnovers and difficult shots are becoming a pattern, and it's something Chris Finch needs to address.

I also think there's still plenty of room to improve the chemistry. Seven games isn't much time to figure out how to play with a completely different group of teammates.

Overall grade: C+

I'm not ready to panic or be overly concerned about Ball's fit in Minnesota, but I also don't think the Timberwolves can be completely satisfied with what they've gotten so far.

There have been enough positives to show why he can be an important part of this team. His passing is a real weapon, and his scoring ability is clearly there when he's playing with confidence.

The problem, though, is that Minnesota will need that version of Ball a lot more often than it has gotten so far this season. The turnovers and foul trouble are becoming a legitimate concern, and his shooting has been too inconsistent for someone who will have a much bigger responsibility with Edwards out.

This next stretch of games will tell us a lot more about what Minnesota has in Bell. For now, he's shown enough to be encouraging, but not enough to make the Timberwolves feel comfortable handing him the keys to the offense without some concerns.

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