Can we have real talk about LaMelo Ball

[DusterBuster]

He legit might be the best worst player I've ever seen.

He's so insanely talented, but has the BBIQ of a **** brick. He can do almost anything on the court, but is so **** lazy and selfish that it negates literally every single shred of talent he has.

Convince me I'm wrong that he's not the least winning player I've ever seen in 30 years of watching the NBA. Give me a reason why any team should want him.

The Hornets - IMO - should trade him for a used washing machine and a 2032 4th round pick tomorrow if they can so their franchise can move on. I don't care what points he can put up, those points absolutely cannibalize any semblance of a team game.

[tsherkin]

I think it's abundantly obvious that he isn't That Guy (TM), which is hella disappointing because he's actually super-talented... but we also need to see him on a team that isn't a generational disaster. A team where he has talent around him. In Charlotte's opener, he didn't overshoot, he passed well, he actually crushed it from 3... there isn't a lot to grief him about his debut this season. And they won.

The timing on this could probably be better. Dude isn't a tier-1 superstar, but he's super talented and if his team was better, he'd get better pub. Kind of like Trae.

EDIT: I guess they lost tonight, but we're talking about him playing pretty well (and still not over-shooting), without much bench contribution from the bench and with Bridges looking crap in the starting lineup. Embiid ate them alive, Oubre had a great game, and the Sixers got a lot more from their bench.

What else do you want, right? LaMelo isn't a great scorer but he's an excellent playmaker and he had a nice game. It isn't really the time to grief him.

[tribulations]

I feel like this has always been the case but people tend to over rate his highlight plays and empty stats.

[DusterBuster]

I think it's abundantly obvious that he isn't That Guy (TM), which is hella disappointing because he's actually super-talented... but we also need to see him on a team that isn't a generational disaster. A team where he has talent around him. In Charlotte's opener, he didn't overshoot, he passed well, he actually crushed it from 3... there isn't a lot to grief him about his debut this season. And they won.

The timing on this could probably be better. Dude isn't a tier-1 superstar, but he's super talented and if his team was better, he'd get better pub. Kind of like Trae.

This is what I'm getting at. He's absolutely stupid talented. He's everything you would craft in a lab for a perfect PG. He should have been Cade Cunningham before Cade Cunningham.

But to just say he "isn't That Guy" is even underselling it.

If he had even half a braincell (BBIQ speaking), he could carry this team to a playin or playoff berth in the weak East. I've seen less talented dudes as the main guy bring less talented rosters to the play-in. Even Trey Young has brought some broke ass Hawks teams that are worse than the Hornets supporting cast to the play in. LaMelo - pure BB talent wise - is head and shoulders better than Trey. Flat out. But LaMelo is absolutely the dumbest and most selfish basketball player I've seen in my lifetime or even studying the past eras.

I don't buy that he would get better pub with a better team around him. Real ones can elevate lesser talent. Fake ones like LaMelo shine a light on lesser talent.

The Hornets roster isn't good by any stretch, but my god does Ball make them look even worse than they are (which IS bad).

I feel bad even saying that too. I loved Brandon Miller coming out of college. He seems like a dude who's body is not gonna hold up, but has all the talent to be special. I think Kon can be good, Sexton is solid - Bridges is a god awful human being, but is a good player...

Honestly, their roster is inexcusably terrible, but man Ball could elevate himself by making them better with better decision making

[dballislife]

hornets cant get that scorer beside him so he can be a great 2nd option...which is who he is...you see the numbers but he just never wins and misses a lot of games

[tsherkin]

I feel like this has always been the case but people tend to over rate his highlight plays and empty stats.

FWIW, he's been an obvious positive on offense for several years despite a HORRIBLE situation. His biggest issue besides his useless teammates has actually been health more than anything else. He's been no worse than Cade, but the Hornets have been a lot worse than the Pistons in terms of supporting cast.

[Mavrelous]

Other than his 2nd year, he has never put up a full season to evaluate his actual impact, so, no real talk since there is no real sample to judge.

[tsherkin]

Other than his 2nd year, he has never put up a full season to evaluate his actual impact, so, no real talk since there is no real sample to judge.

This is the fairest way to look at it. Availability is a key ability, but his impact is pretty clear when he does actually play. It isn't superstar level, but he's still a relevant and useful player. He just plays on a crap team and has health issues.

[UcanUwill]

He just does not care about winning at all.

Yes, he barely plays, but when he did, he has had pace of 29 wins per season, he is not improving anybodies chances there, I wouldn't want him on my team if he was free.

[Mr Peanut]

I feel like this has always been the case but people tend to over rate his highlight plays and empty stats.

FWIW, he's been an obvious positive on offense for several years despite a HORRIBLE situation. His biggest issue besides his useless teammates has actually been health more than anything else. He's been no worse than Cade, but the Hornets have been a lot worse than the Pistons in terms of supporting cast.

That's a laughable statement. The Cade All-Star, All-NBA 3rd team, 7th in MVP voting and leading his team to the playoffs last season should've put the Cade vs LaMelo debate to bed.

[Calvin Klein]

He’s a meme player. An influencer playing in the nba. A gimmick.

[Tnasty4l]

I really don't like his game but I do have him on my fantasy team because he can put up empty stats. Ride the train while he's healthy.

[ShootersShoot]

The guy has averaged 35 games played the last 3 seasons and bmillers health is concerning as well. I think he needs a change of scenery. People were low on giddy last season and I think lamelo is just as good.

[Chuck Everett]

The shot he put up in the 4th quarter was laughably bad last night, however, he did play a good ball game overall against Philly. My biggest issue with him is he's so immature that I don't know how Charlotte could ever rely on him to be their team leader. It's a shame Brandon Miller keeps getting hurt because they absolutely need someone to take the reins from LaMelo and say this is "MY TEAM" not yours. Maybe if he had someone unequivocally better than him on the roster, he would look better.

I am personally not a fan, but so far, I would be lying if I said he had a bad start to the season. Caveat, one of those games was against the tanking Nets though, so you have to factor that in. Hornets offense looks legit though and LaMelo is their engine.

[lambchop]

He's unbelievably skilled in the sense of what he can do with the ball and the kind of unorthodox shots and moves he can manufacture seemingly out of thin air.

These kind of guys will always be in the NBA. There simply aren't enough talented players on planet Earth that you could replace him with.

Ideally I'd love to see him in a 6th man role. However, again, he's too talented for that and will command a starter role and higher salary somewhere.

[dirkdiggler4177]

I said it before, the dude is like a superstar version of Jason Williams. His career will likely start when he is 30++, when nobody wants him anymore, and he needs to play fundamental basketball. Like Jason Williams did with the Heat.

[Archx]

He’s a meme player. An influencer playing in the nba. A gimmick.

Well, he does like bumping people with his car though. I guess that's a feature as well.

[MoneyTalks41890]

A perfect example of how AAU culture can destroy a talented player.

[NO-KG-AI]

He is a way more gifted player than I originally thought prior to his entry into the league. I also don’t think he’s doomed to be a empty stats guy. He has ball handling, shooting, and passing skills that can all be leveraged in a winning way. He’s actually very good about not having the ball stick to him when he wants to be. Some guys have a skillset and a playstyle that really can’t be harnessed on a great team, I’m not sure that’s whst we have here.

That said, I wouldn’t move on him until he proves he wants to harness all the good things and cut out the bad habits for someone else first. I do think there is a winning player in there somewhere, but he probably needs to be on a team with older guys that hold him accountable.

[DC_Melo]

Other than his 2nd year, he has never put up a full season to evaluate his actual impact, so, no real talk since there is no real sample to judge.

This is the fairest way to look at it. Availability is a key ability, but his impact is pretty clear when he does actually play. It isn't superstar level, but he's still a relevant and useful player. He just plays on a crap team and has health issues.

233 career games in 5+ seasons is plenty enough sample size to determine he doesn’t know how to play winning ball or how to take care of his body.

He’s not getting any younger or less injury prone. Might as well give him a free pass for his life if you’re gonna say there’s not enough sample size to judge.