So you agree then that statistical analysis is more significant than just games you watch, right? That's a fair assessment?

Then the stats:

Points, shooting, percentages: Fox, no question, not even close.

Assists: The difference isn't the chasm that other categories are but this isn't close enough to be a wash - definitely Lonzo.

Rebounds: Head and shoulders above Fox. Lonzo is #5 among all G's . He's only behind Simmons, Westbrook, Dejounte Murray and Lance Stephenson. As far as his outlet passing, did you not know he's been doing this since high school and all throughout his year at UCLA? We saw the impact in the third game of the season when a Pelicans team featuring AD and Boogie are immediately running back on defense after shot attempts in order to limit Lonzo's outlet passing. Yes, his defensive rebounding is a threat because he's far more effective in transition than in a halfcourt offense.

Steals & Blocks (but really, Defense): About a half steal and a full block more per game. That translates to #14 overall in the league, across all positions. I notice you didn't bring up anything related to defense in your post, despite L2P specifically pointing out how wide the gap was between the two.

Those per 36 stats, Lonzo vs Fox:

STL%: 2.0 vs 1.6
BLK%: 2.0 vs 0.4
DRB%: 18.5 vs 11.2
DWS: 1.0 vs 0.1
Def. Box +/-: 2.5 vs -2.2

Offensive stats for the sake of thoroughness:
PER: 10.3 vs 11.9
TS%: .374 vs .466
ORB%: 4.3 vs 2.2
AST%: 29.4 vs 29.0
TOV%: 18 vs 16
USG%: 18.3 vs 24.0
OWS: -0.9 vs -0.4
Off. Box +/-: -3.0 vs -2.2

What does that give us overall?

WS: 0.2 vs -0.2
WS/48: .013 vs -.025
Box +/-: -0.6 vs -4.4
Value over Replacement Player: 0.2 vs -0.3


If you want to honestly assess a player, do so over his entire time on the court, not just one side. Using purely objective overall stats shows Lonzo than than Fox when defensive contributions are also taken into account. Sure, Fox may absolutely be better with more consistent minutes. But assuming Lonzo is just going regressing or plateauing when his role is changing as well is sheer bias (he's being used less in initiating the halfcourt offense and we're seeing Clarkson/Ingram/Randle handle the ball more at the start of possessions).

Is Lonzo better overall right today? Yes. At the end of the season? Who knows. Honest discourse? Let's hope.


Some bonus stats:

Lonzo being much better than expected on the defensive end has led to the Lakers being #5 in overall Defensive Rating and #8 in Adj. Defensive Rating.

If you're looking at just the Lakers in that team rating, here's Lonzo:

USG%: 18.3% (7th on team)
DWS: 1.0 (1st; Ingram/KCP #2 at 0.8, Randle/Lopez #3 at 0.7)
Def Box +/-: 2.5 (2nd; 1st is Bogut at 6.0, Nance/Brewer/Randle/Hart are next and range from 1.8 to 1.3)

Overall:

WS: 0.2 (10th; Kuzma/Lopez/KCP are #1, #2, #3 at 1.4, 1.2, 1.2)
Box +/-: -0.2 (6th; after Lopez/Nance/KCP/Bogut/Randle)
VORP: 0.2 (T-3rd; Lopez/KCP at 0.4, and Randle is also 0.2)