LaMeloBall

Preseason question: History tells us that if you put LaMelo in control of the offense, he’ll take it to places you would never believe—in good ways and bad. He’ll see plays and connect dots other players wouldn’t dream of. He’ll also jack up shots that take years off his coaches’ lives. Those maverick instincts tend to stick with a player, but this season is a fascinating experiment in whether a change in circumstances might at least quiet them. Can LaMelo play with real basketball stakes? He is playing with a superstar teammate, for a new coach, and on a team with something to contend for. How will that change the balance of his best and worst instincts, to the extent that they can be changed at all? Minnesota bet big on LaMelo’s talent, and just as much on the idea that the Wolves’ winning infrastructure can bring out a different side of him. Maybe that’s just a pipe dream, but LaMelo is the kind of creative force that makes a team want to dream big.