Is LaMelo Ball Available?

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JMAC3
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Re: Is LaMelo Ball Available? 

Post#21 » by JMAC3 » Thu Apr 24, 2025 1:58 pm

wemby wrote:Not a Lamelo fan: lots of talent but inefficient on offense, nonexistent on defense, serious health concerns, doesn't strike you as a leader that will help you win. Hornets should be open to moving him the first good offer they get. A good return for Lamelo plus Brandon Miller and a couple top prospects from this draft and next should make for an excellent foundation in Charlotte.


10th best offensive EPM this year in the NBA- much closer to special on offense than simply inefficient.
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Re: Is LaMelo Ball Available? 

Post#22 » by jbk1234 » Thu Apr 24, 2025 3:06 pm

MasterIchiro wrote:Entertainment value is a thing for a small market team that isn't a premiere destination for free agents, so that limits trade possibilities for established players who sell tickets. The risk is that they bolt at the end of their contract.

Hornets secured LaMelo 5 years on a rookie supermax. He was leading vote getter for guards in the conference.

He was starting PG for a 43 win team early in his rookie scale contract. So where is the question? Do you not follow the team and just throw **** at the wall hoping people don't smell BS?

These past 3 years have seen a roster continuously decimated by injury, including our All-Star PG who is a highlight reel.

So, sure, all the medical doctors in the building will want to price him like damaged goods showcased at a pawn shop.

But he's well beyond that value to the Hornets so we are definitely not listening to that ****.

Nurkic + J. Green = Charlotte's next wave of contracts on the move. Nobody wants them? No ****. They do want draft capital though. And we have a surplus including a top-2 protected Mavs pick in 2027 with Irving stale on the shelf and Luka back in shape in LA. Plus a 2027 lotto-protected Heat 1st that could be unprotected 2028. Those are your 10 seeds and that is the asset value we are listening on because we would be selling high, not dumping questionable merchandise low.

Get real people.

Nobody is feeling sorry for themselves.


As a lapsed Browns fan, I feel the pain, but trading those firsts to acquire a discount star, which is probably the most they're worth, is a really bad idea.

The Hornets need to use those picks and get multiple bites at the apple which is something they've failed to do during multiple rebuilds. If you don't trust the front office to draft well, get a new front office.

The reality is that the Hornets ceiling with a healthy Miles and Ball is the play-in. A short-sighted win-now move bumps them up to first-round out.
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Re: Is LaMelo Ball Available? 

Post#23 » by Billl » Thu Apr 24, 2025 5:25 pm

They haven't given any indication that he's on the block, but of course, pretty much everyone is available for the right offer. I don't see any teams offering enough for them to say yes though. I think the FO already values him like he's already a bigtime star and the rest of the league values him like a guy who could be a big time star if he stays healthy and everything breaks the right way. That's a pretty big gap.
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Re: Is LaMelo Ball Available? 

Post#24 » by BAMAFREAK » Fri Apr 25, 2025 4:59 pm

What teams would be interested and what would the return look like?
A team that needs scoring and already has a solid defensive set up!
Orlando?
Something around Suggs and a 1st?

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