Category-by-category for 2026-27, using per-game projections scored against the draftable pool. LaMelo Ball is the better 9-cat player this season, by 2.00 of total value. He takes 5 of the nine categories, gaining most in Turnovers and Threes made, and gives ground in Assists and Free throw percentage.
| Category | LaMelo Ball | Trae Young | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 22.5 | 22.9 | Even |
| Rebounds | 5.5 | 2.8 | LaMelo Ball by 1.11 |
| Assists | 7.4 | 10.0 | Trae Young by 1.34 |
| Steals | 1.4 | 1.1 | LaMelo Ball by 0.72 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 0.2 | LaMelo Ball by 0.23 |
| Threes made | 3.9 | 2.7 | LaMelo Ball by 1.23 |
| Field goal percentage | 0.416 | 0.421 | Trae Young by 0.42 |
| Free throw percentage | 0.875 | 0.863 | Trae Young by 0.71 |
| Turnovers | 3.2 | 4.1 | LaMelo Ball by 1.29 |
| Total 9-cat value | +1.71 | -0.29 | LaMelo Ball |
| Overall rank | 28 | 68 | |
| Status | Available | Available |
Full profiles: LaMelo Ball and Trae Young. To compare any other players, or to see who actually plays tonight, use Start or Sit.
LaMelo Ball is the better 9-cat player this season, by 2.00 of total value. He takes 5 of the nine categories, gaining most in Turnovers and Threes made, and gives ground in Assists and Free throw percentage.
Per-game projections for 2026-27 converted to z-scores against the draftable pool, one per category, then totalled. A positive z means above the pool average in that category. No editorial judgement is applied.
Not necessarily. This page is 9-cat. Points leagues ignore the percentage categories and treat turnovers differently, which usually favours high-usage scorers. Switch format on the rankings page to see the other view.
Projections already carry an expected minutes load, but they cannot price a player who is ruled out. Current status is shown beside each name, so check it before acting.