That’s the verdict of Doc Rivers.
Fox Sports analyst raised concerns about Lonzo reaching his potential with Rondo “eating up” the majority of the “quality minutes late in the ball game” as Rivers appeared on Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.
But Rivers – the head coach of the Lakers’ rivals the LA Clippers – predicts a big future for Ball.
The 21-year-old has been backed by LeBron James to become a leading star in the league in the future with the four-time MVP declaring: “Sometimes he doesn’t realise how great he is.”
Ball is one of the Lakers’ most promising members of their young core and while his numbers have not been sensational this year, he has proved himself a valuable member of Luke Walton’s roster.
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His court vision is seen as similar to Rondo’s with the four-time All-Star widely viewed to have one of the best basketball brains in the NBA.
And while Ball has been denied game-time late in fourth quarters when the more effective Rondo has been healthy, Rivers thinks the second-year point guard will only benefit from his teammate’s wealth of knowledge.
“I think it helps in the long run. Lonzo is going to be a heck of a player, you can see it,” Rivers – who coached Rondo for seven years with the Boston Celtics – declared.
“No doubt in my mind. I know a lot of people doubt him [Lonzo], I don’t.
“I think he’s a great passer. He has great instincts. I think his offense will be fine.
“I think watching a guy that was just like him, a quote-on-quote non-shooter play the game can only help him.
“Having LeBron and Rondo, I think is so underrated from a leadership standpoint and a teaching standpoint.
“He [Rondo] is the smartest guy I have ever been around basketball-wise. He studies like a coach.
“I think that is going to help the Lakers at the end of the day.”
Rondo is currently sidelined with a broken hand that has seen him miss the Lakers’ last six games.
He has lost both of their last two with the Lakers suffering back-to-back losses to the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron could not help LA from slipping to a franchise-record 117-85 defeat to the Nuggets on the road as their record slipped to 11-9 as he scored just 14 points off five-of-15 shooting, going 0-4 from behind the three-point line.
He added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 30 minutes on the floor.