LaMelephant: The LaMelo Ball Thread (#2)

[Bassman]

If LaMelo can EVER get a big dose of maturity, coupled with a sense of purpose beyond “hoopin’”, he might become a superstar. I enjoy watching him and hope he finds the keys to becoming a complete player.

[fatlever]

We will see if Melo becomes a floor raiser or is he only a ceiling raiser. As of now, it only feels like he is the latter. There are some signs this year that perhaps he is becoming the former, as the team is performing much better with him in the lineup this year than without.

As you've heard me say it before, my favorite quote about him... I think he loves to win, I'm not sure he hates to lose.

Is he just a dude who loves playing basketball. Or is he a guy that actually has the drive to be the best player in the world and carry a franchise to a championship?

Jury is out.

At least he is fun to watch!!

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[JMAC3]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

[amcoolio]

We will see if Melo becomes a floor raiser or is he only a ceiling raiser. As of now, it only feels like he is the latter. There are some signs this year that perhaps he is becoming the former, as the team is performing much better with him in the lineup this year than without.

As you've heard me say it before, my favorite quote about him... I think he loves to win, I'm not sure he hates to lose.

Is he just a dude who loves playing basketball. Or is he a guy that actually has the drive to be the best player in the world and carry a franchise to a championship?

Jury is out.

At least he is fun to watch!!

Sent from my SM-G973U using RealGM Forums mobile app

I think its unfair to say this early becuase the Hornets don't have another top 100 player...Literally every team besides Detroit, Houston and San Antonio has at least two to three players better than anyone on the Hornets.... Imagine LaMelo in Orlando for example with Paolo and Wagner, they'd be several games over .500.....in Toronto too, in Washington...

[fatlever]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

you dont want him to improve his defense?

[JMAC3]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

you dont want him to improve his defense?

Yeah for sure, but even if he can get to the level of other ball dominant scoring guards I think he will be fine.

Kyrie, Steph, Dame, Ja... I wouldn't say any are great defenders. Don't think Melo is that far off from reaching that level. Hard to tell when our team is littered with poor defenders.

[luciano-davidwesley]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

I have a very big third complaint.
3. At least TRY to stay in front of your man defensively. The guy plays defense like he's on ice skates.

[JMAC3]

I have a very big third complaint.
3. At least TRY to stay in front of your man defensively. The guy plays defense like he's on ice skates.

Really? I definitely think he reaches too much but I see him moving his feet well a decent amount of the time.

His worst trait is trying to get over screens, feels like that's a will thing and also just technique of doing it a billion times. I am not overly concerned that he never figures that out.

[luciano-davidwesley]

I have a very big third complaint.
3. At least TRY to stay in front of your man defensively. The guy plays defense like he's on ice skates.

Really? I definitely think he reaches too much but I see him moving his feet well a decent amount of the time.

His worst trait is trying to get over screens, feels like that's a will thing and also just technique of doing it a billion times. I am not overly concerned that he never figures that out.

Nah man he just lets guards blow by him constantly on their drives to the hoop. It's probably the number 1 reason why he gets called for so many reaching fouls.

[fatlever]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

you dont want him to improve his defense?

Yeah for sure, but even if he can get to the level of other ball dominant scoring guards I think he will be fine.

Kyrie, Steph, Dame, Ja... I wouldn't say any are great defenders. Don't think Melo is that far off from reaching that level. Hard to tell when our team is littered with poor defenders.

im not asking for him to be great. hell, league avg would be amazing. he has to learn to be part of a 5-man unit that does everything in sync. we will never have a good defense if melo is freewheeling all the time. thats great for offense, not so much for defense. i applaud his instincts but they cant cause a domino effect where everyone ends up chasing and out of position. no elite defensive teams play like that.

[fatlever]

lets be honest here - melo is legit awful defender

[JMAC3]

Lamelo doing a much better job of getting downhill and attacking lately and not settling for threes as much. Don't get me wrong he is still shooting a bunch of threes, but we want that as well.

Attack Lamelo getting the Free Throw line is a huge development.
Over his last 5 games 9.8.4.3.10 Free throw attempts.

That is 7 free throw attempts per game.

[fatlever]

Lamelo doing a much better job of getting downhill and attacking lately and not settling for threes as much. Don't get me wrong he is still shooting a bunch of threes, but we want that as well.

Attack Lamelo getting the Free Throw line is a huge development.
Over his last 5 games 9.8.4.3.10 Free throw attempts.

That is 7 free throw attempts per game.

Agree, that has been encouraging. Clear that wrist was bothering him, so he got to line.

I am worried that we are allowing him to play when his wrist is injured.

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[euphorbus]

Clearly that wrist was bothering him, so he got to line.

I am worried that we are allowing him to play when his wrist is injured.

If LaMelo is still playing with an injured wrist, that is a hundred-million-dollar lawsuit waiting to happen. The team is responsible, since two different head coaches have put him on the floor while still hurt.

[yosemiteben]

Clearly that wrist was bothering him, so he got to line.

I am worried that we are allowing him to play when his wrist is injured.

If LaMelo is still playing with an injured wrist, that is a hundred-million-dollar lawsuit waiting to happen. The team is responsible, since two different head coaches have put him on the floor while still hurt.

Not how that works

[NCHeels2008]

I think LaMelo can be a championship player.

I only have 2 complaints with him.
1. Get to the free throw line more.
2. Stop committing dumb fouls, they add up.

Other than that, I think he is on his way to greatness.

I hate when people say he hasn't improved.
He increased scoring 4.5 points year 1 to 2, and 3.5 points year 2-3 so far.

you dont want him to improve his defense?

Yeah for sure, but even if he can get to the level of other ball dominant scoring guards I think he will be fine.

Kyrie, Steph, Dame, Ja... I wouldn't say any are great defenders. Don't think Melo is that far off from reaching that level. Hard to tell when our team is littered with poor defenders.

With his build he should be a better defender than any of them and Steph is a tier above the other 3

[NCHeels2008]

I'm just curious, would anyone else at least semi consider a godfather offer for LaMelo at this point? You probably can't do it just for the PR. But it feels like this organization is so far away (and further since bringing Clifford back tbh) that Ball is going to languish or directly ask out before grass gets greener. Ultimately, I think Charlotte has to keep him, but part of me is semi-curious if a team offered like 3-5 unprotected 1sts and a young guy on a questionable deal (e.g. Barret, Fox last year, etc.)

[luciano-davidwesley]

I'm just curious, would anyone else at least semi consider a godfather offer for LaMelo at this point? You probably can't do it just for the PR. But it feels like this organization is so far away (and further since bringing Clifford back tbh) that Ball is going to languish or directly ask out before grass gets greener. Ultimately, I think Charlotte has to keep him, but part of me is semi-curious if a team offered like 3-5 unprotected 1sts and a young guy on a questionable deal (e.g. Barret, Fox last year, etc.)

I'm hearing you. I think something like that would be worth considering. Only because I think he plays dumb and is an awful defender. These are areas he may improve being young but he's by no means certain to work them out.

[NCHeels2008]

I'm just curious, would anyone else at least semi consider a godfather offer for LaMelo at this point? You probably can't do it just for the PR. But it feels like this organization is so far away (and further since bringing Clifford back tbh) that Ball is going to languish or directly ask out before grass gets greener. Ultimately, I think Charlotte has to keep him, but part of me is semi-curious if a team offered like 3-5 unprotected 1sts and a young guy on a questionable deal (e.g. Barret, Fox last year, etc.)

I'm hearing you. I think something like that would be worth considering. Only because I think he plays dumb and is an awful defender. These are areas he may improve being young but he's by no means certain to work them out.

There's just zero stakes to the teams games this year and watching Edwards (who he used to be a better prospect than) continue to ascend is souring me a bit to him

[JDR720]

It depends on the team.

Although, hypothetically speaking, if we draft Scoot then trading Melo for a lot of stuff could actually make sense.