Chris Finch Admits LaMelo Ball Needs to Take Fewer ‘Bad Shots’

This offseason, the highlight of the summer for the Minnesota Timberwolves was trading for former Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Ball has become one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NBA up to this point in his career, and now the hope is that he can step in and be a reliable second option next to Anthony Edwards. 

Ball is an elite passer, as he's averaged over 7 assists per game throughout his career, and he's a solid scorer as well. He has shown he can be a good shooter from long range as he has made some contested shots that leave opposing teams stunned, but the Timberwolves' head coach wants to see less of that and more efficient basketball instead. 

"If you want to be a good shooter, the first thing you should do is get rid of the bad shots. He does take some — and he can make them. But I think he has relied heavily on it," Finch said.

LaMelo Ball has had some rough shooting nights in the past, but the hope is that now that he is alongside Anthony Edwards, he won't have to shoot the ball as much as he did in Charlotte. 

What makes the addition of LaMelo Ball so important for Minnesota is that it gives Edwards less pressure to take command of the offense. It will be difficult for teams to double-team either guard because both of them are scoring threats in one-on-one situations.  

There are other players around Ball who can make life easier for him so that he doesn't have to shoot those contested shots as he did with the Hornets. Guard Ayo Dosunmu is coming off a strong start to his Timberwolves tenure after being traded there midseason, and he's someone who could have a career year offensively. 

Forward Jonathan Kuminga is looking to have a career resurgence in Minnesota, and with his versatility, he is a player LaMelo Ball could find and set up for success frequently. 

The Timberwolves are a team that plays a physical and disciplined brand of basketball. If LaMelo Ball does have tough shooting nights and does fall into a pattern of shooting low-percentage shots, then he could be getting taken out of the game immediately.  

Still, because of what he has around him, it would be difficult to have performances like that. There could be growing pains in the beginning, but LaMelo Ball is entering a season in which he will have his best supporting cast around him, and he will be asked to do less than he did in Charlotte.