LaMelephant: The LaMelo Ball Thread (#2)

[Diop]

I would entertain trade offers for everyone on the team. There aren't any untradeable stars here.

But I wouldn't trade ball for future picks, it would need a good player coming back

[Hornet Mania]

I would entertain trade offers for everyone on the team. There aren't any untradeable stars here.

But I wouldn't trade ball for future picks, it would need a good player coming back

Assuming a team with contending aspirations jumps up the lotto order (Philly, Miami, Houston) the only scenario I'd trade Melo for picks if if it brought back the 2nd or 3rd choice in this year's draft plus a little extra sugar in the future. And even then only if we got Flagg with our own pick making him the new face of the franchise.

For example, maybe Morey wants to take another shot during Embiid's prime, plus dump Paul George's awful deal, and doesn't have much use for 19yr olds.

Charlotte Gives:
-Melo

Philly Gives:
-2nd pick (as payment for Melo)
Paul George
-Future 1st and a swap (for eating Paul George's contract)

That would reset the timeline around Flagg/Bailey/Miller, George's deal doesn't matter since it expires by the time those guys get paid. But anything short of that sort of blockbuster and I'd rather give it another year with Melo. He might never be healthy but his upside is much better than taking uncertain future picks from a big market team.

[yosemiteben]

Now that LaMelo and Mark have proven their iron man statuses with 40+ games played, which we were told was the number one main priority and focus of the entire franchise for the entire season and obviously executed to extreme success, next year is a get right year for Brandon, Grant, and Tre. Once those guys have gotten right we start “trying to win” in 2027 with a full roster of proven healthy studs. Lamelo/Miller/Flagg/Dybantsa/Williams

Like do you just enjoy being an ****?

Because otherwise I can't understand what you think you're getting from trolling like this. As though I'm going to spend any effort actually engaging when you put less than zero effort in like this.

What a complete waste of time and energy.

nothing i've said is anything other than literal things said on the board about the purpose of the season and the state of the team with no commentary about you or any other posters or personal attacks on them, unlike yours. if you don't like your comments getting interacted with, maybe consider not posting them. im not over here weirdly wringing my hands about anyones free time in reply to a post about basketball. or, you're a mod so you can really do whatever you want. if you cant handle it without attacking me personally there is plenty you can do

I'm not going to respond to this, other than to say it would only take a modicum of good faith to actually try to engage and solicit an actual nuanced opinion, rather than simply create caricatures to mock.

I'm not interested in sharing any opinions with you and committed to not engage with you. I guess you can't reciprocate, that's fine whatever. Just don't act like you understand my views on things now or in the past, you've never engaged in enough of a good faith discussion with me to understand it.

[KembaWalker]

Like do you just enjoy being an ****?

Because otherwise I can't understand what you think you're getting from trolling like this. As though I'm going to spend any effort actually engaging when you put less than zero effort in like this.

What a complete waste of time and energy.

nothing i've said is anything other than literal things said on the board about the purpose of the season and the state of the team with no commentary about you or any other posters or personal attacks on them, unlike yours. if you don't like your comments getting interacted with, maybe consider not posting them. im not over here weirdly wringing my hands about anyones free time in reply to a post about basketball. or, you're a mod so you can really do whatever you want. if you cant handle it without attacking me personally there is plenty you can do

I'm not going to respond to this, other than to say it would only take a modicum of good faith to actually try to engage and solicit an actual nuanced opinion, rather than simply create caricatures to mock.

I'm not interested in sharing any opinions with you and committed to not engage with you. I guess you can't reciprocate, that's fine whatever. Just don't act like you understand my views on things now or in the past, you've never engaged in enough of a good faith discussion with me to understand it.

When you proposed this idea of “LaMelo getting through the season healthy is the main point and goal of the entire organization this season” I called it ridiculous at the time (because it’s an utterly ridiculous goal for a professional sports franchise, extremely unlikely, and literally luck based anyway) and you didn’t want to back it up then either. Now that we’re at the situation that was always most likely to happen which is LaMelo is done early sub 50 games with multiple surgeries lined up, you want to act like I’m being some **** for pointing out that what you claimed was their main franchise objective ended in a failure? You should be upset with them if you actually think that was true, not me

[Rich4114]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

[KembaWalker]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

[JustBuzzin]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

Just keep it real we don't win when Melo is healthy and we don't win when he's injured. We have never won anything in the LaMelo era.

I hate to be harsh, but it's the truth!

[Rich4114]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

OK, if he played 100% of his games you could model our record out to be... 28-54, good enough for 12th place instead of 14th place. His lack of availability is why we have a bottom 3 record instead of a bottom 8 record. Roster isn't good enough man, LaMelo is the least of our worries.

[Rich4114]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

Just keep it real we don't win when Melo is healthy and we don't win when he's injured. We have never won anything in the LaMelo era.

I hate to be harsh, but it's the truth!

We have had a winning record with LaMelo though. Best talent he's had around him included pre-breakout Monk, injured Hayward, ball hog Rozier and Miles Bridges. None of that is even very good talent, but I guess it's better than the G league try out guys we've surrounded him with this season.

[JustBuzzin]

I'm noticing people make excuses for Melo every year. It's getting old now.

[KembaWalker]

Just want to point out that the reason we have a bottom 3 record in the NBA is not because of LaMelo's availability or performance. You don't win games in the NBA with a roster like ours. You could put SGA on this roster, have him play 82 games and it wouldn't get us to the play-in. Best example of this are Indy and Detroit. They have PG's who you could argue LaMelo is more talented than (especially Haliburton). Those teams have had winning streaks without their PG's being available. We are 2-25 without LaMelo; 16-31 with LaMelo. We also score 108ppg with and 100 without. +14 wins lol.

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

OK, if he played 100% of his games you could model our record out to be... 28-54, good enough for 12th place instead of 14th place. His lack of availability is why we have a bottom 3 record instead of a bottom 8 record. Roster isn't good enough man, LaMelo is the least of our worries.

I agree, the roster is extremely sucky and the backup PG situation especially is borderline criminal as usual, its just that the dude also needs to be able to play. Not much point to ever justify building toward the post season with a guy who can't make it there even while playing a part time schedule full of extra rest days.
This teams gonna have to be so deep and quality that it can win consistently without LaMelo and if that ever happened, why bother using a huge salary slot on him. Luckily it probably doesn't matter because we have no real path to acquiring that level of depth during his contract so its not worth stressing over

[Rich4114]

it sounds like his lack of availability is exactly why we have a bottom 3 record then. Its just that we also wouldn't be especially good if he did play

OK, if he played 100% of his games you could model our record out to be... 28-54, good enough for 12th place instead of 14th place. His lack of availability is why we have a bottom 3 record instead of a bottom 8 record. Roster isn't good enough man, LaMelo is the least of our worries.

I agree, the roster is extremely sucky and the backup PG situation especially is borderline criminal as usual, its just that the dude also needs to be able to play. Not much point to ever justify building toward the post season with a guy who can't make it there even while playing a part time schedule full of extra rest days.
This teams gonna have to be so deep and quality that it can win consistently without LaMelo and if that ever happened, why bother using a huge salary slot on him. Luckily it probably doesn't matter because we have no real path to acquiring that level of depth during his contract so its not worth stressing over

What exactly do you suggest then? What I'm hearing is "LaMelo is never available and we have no path to talent during his contract (which has another 4 years on it) and a player of his caliber isn't worth a big salary anyway so no sense in stressing over it since we'll just continue to lose for the foreseeable future."

I'm not arguing LaMelo has had poor availability. But that's mostly been last season and the season prior. He's played in 47 games this season and I would say he would've played in 15-20 more if we weren't actively tanking (including the final 10 games). The roster isn't capable of winning NBA games unless it was basically 100% healthy, which it has not been and even then was extremely flawed and still too young/inexperienced. Mark has played in 39 games this season and will end up under LaMelo's game count. Miller only 27 games. Tre Mann 13 games. Grant Williams 16 games. LaMelo is 23 and is older than every guy I mentioned except Grant and Tre.

It's like some of you are uncomfortable having talent on the roster. The answer is to have more of it not take what little we have away.

[KembaWalker]

OK, if he played 100% of his games you could model our record out to be... 28-54, good enough for 12th place instead of 14th place. His lack of availability is why we have a bottom 3 record instead of a bottom 8 record. Roster isn't good enough man, LaMelo is the least of our worries.

I agree, the roster is extremely sucky and the backup PG situation especially is borderline criminal as usual, its just that the dude also needs to be able to play. Not much point to ever justify building toward the post season with a guy who can't make it there even while playing a part time schedule full of extra rest days.
This teams gonna have to be so deep and quality that it can win consistently without LaMelo and if that ever happened, why bother using a huge salary slot on him. Luckily it probably doesn't matter because we have no real path to acquiring that level of depth during his contract so its not worth stressing over

What exactly do you suggest then? What I'm hearing is "LaMelo is never available and we have no path to talent during his contract (which has another 4 years on it) and a player of his caliber isn't worth a big salary anyway so no sense in stressing over it since we'll just continue to lose for the foreseeable future."

I'm not arguing LaMelo has had poor availability. But that's mostly been last season and the season prior. He's played in 47 games this season and I would say he would've played in 15-20 more if we weren't actively tanking (including the final 10 games). The roster isn't capable of winning NBA games unless it was basically 100% healthy, which it has not been and even then was extremely flawed and still too young/inexperienced. Mark has played in 39 games this season and will end up under LaMelo's game count. Miller only 27 games. Tre Mann 13 games. Grant Williams 16 games. LaMelo is 23 and is older than every guy I mentioned except Grant and Tre.

It's like some of you are uncomfortable having talent on the roster. The answer is to have more of it not take what little we have away.

I can’t suggest anything because I don’t know what offers LaMelo is fielding and I don’t know what draft pick we are going to get but there are different scenarios that have different levels of appeal to me.

Obviously if the lottery sucks and we get Kon Knueppel or whatever mediocre prospect after 3 then sure run it back and hope against logic that somehow the injury situations will play out differently and collect another top pick

If we get Harper or Flagg, to me the least interesting thing we could do is another try at a 2 timeline team like we did by sticking with the Rozier Hayward core when we lucked out in up for LaMelo. We should have recognized we had a new path available then, cashed out on those vets and either continue to build via draft or targeted better fitting LaMelo players than combo Rozier and snail like post injury Hayward. If we draft one of those top top guys we need to pivot ASAP, not chase 35 wins with Ball and Bridges and expect the injury and talent situation to magically fix itself over the next 4 yrs

[JMAC3]

Next year guys.

This is Melo's excuse every season. Pretty soon he's going to be 28 and we still saying next year.

I would understand the excuse if we were winning games, but we are not even winning when he plays. At some point you have to understand this is not working and we are wasting time.

If the issue is talent then we have to make a gamble and bring in someone like Zion to run with him. Yeah both are injury prone, but at least we tried something different.

I'm all for keeping Melo, but get serious and bring in some real talent so we can judge him fairly. His rep around the league is flashy highlight player who doesn't play winning basketball. As much as we value him, other fanbases are not having that same value.

Just make a decision is all I'm saying. If we keep him get serious and bring in some win now talent. If not just move on.

LaMelo is 23, I don't think him being 28 is happening pretty soon. If the reason we are entertaining trading Melo is health, then I can't think of a player worse to try to acquire to pair with him then Zion. That literally makes no sense in the scope of this conversation.

If anything the conversation should be trading for another Miles Bridges type of player who has a history of producing and playing a lot of games without big health concerns.

[JMAC3]

47 games in todays NBA is actually pretty respectable. That is just where the league is right now.

Out of the top 25 scorers in the League, maybe 8 of them will break 70 games played this year.

No it's not. There is a big difference between 65 games and 47. Melo can hardly play half the season at this point.

Luka 43 games
Maxey 52 games
Banchero 41 games
LaMelo 47 games
AD 46 games
Kyrie 50 games
Zion 30 games
Wemby 46 games
Franz 55 games
Cam Thomas 25 games
Embiid 19 games

That is 11 of the top 26 scorers in the NBA, who all played similar amount or less games as LaMelo. The average for the top 26 scorers is 55 games played, so yeah LaMelo is below that, but as many stated on here he is probably not electing for the surgery if we were in contention until after the year, he also probably is playing in another 5-6 games pretty easily throughout the year if were half way decent as well.

So yeah, if I were projecting LaMelo still would have missed some time this year with injuries to start year, ankle stuff here and there but he could have played close to 60 games if we really asked him to is what I believe, but we just had no incentive to actually trying to squeak out 5 more wins on the season when you look at what that would have meant.

[JustBuzzin]

Next year guys.

This is Melo's excuse every season. Pretty soon he's going to be 28 and we still saying next year.

I would understand the excuse if we were winning games, but we are not even winning when he plays. At some point you have to understand this is not working and we are wasting time.

If the issue is talent then we have to make a gamble and bring in someone like Zion to run with him. Yeah both are injury prone, but at least we tried something different.

I'm all for keeping Melo, but get serious and bring in some real talent so we can judge him fairly. His rep around the league is flashy highlight player who doesn't play winning basketball. As much as we value him, other fanbases are not having that same value.

Just make a decision is all I'm saying. If we keep him get serious and bring in some win now talent. If not just move on.

LaMelo is 23, I don't think him being 28 is happening pretty soon. If the reason we are entertaining trading Melo is health, then I can't think of a player worse to try to acquire to pair with him then Zion. That literally makes no sense in the scope of this conversation.

If anything the conversation should be trading for another Miles Bridges type of player who has a history of producing and playing a lot of games without big health concerns.

Excuses

[JustBuzzin]

47 games in todays NBA is actually pretty respectable. That is just where the league is right now.

Out of the top 25 scorers in the League, maybe 8 of them will break 70 games played this year.

No it's not. There is a big difference between 65 games and 47. Melo can hardly play half the season at this point.

Luka 43 games
Maxey 52 games
Banchero 41 games
LaMelo 47 games
AD 46 games
Kyrie 50 games
Zion 30 games
Wemby 46 games
Franz 55 games
Cam Thomas 25 games
Embiid 19 games

That is 11 of the top 26 scorers in the NBA, who all played similar amount or less games as LaMelo. The average for the top 26 scorers is 55 games played, so yeah LaMelo is below that, but as many stated on here he is probably not electing for the surgery if we were in contention until after the year, he also probably is playing in another 5-6 games pretty easily throughout the year if were half way decent as well.

So yeah, if I were projecting LaMelo still would have missed some time this year with injuries to start year, ankle stuff here and there but he could have played close to 60 games if we really asked him to is what I believe, but we just had no incentive to actually trying to squeak out 5 more wins on the season when you look at what that would have meant.

Excuses

[JustBuzzin]

Every year it's an excuse.

Show some accountability for a change. It's okay to question our best player health. That's fair for me as a fan. I'm not questioning his game never have. My issue with Melo has always been his maturity and health!

He's matured this year I will give him that. The health however is still a issue. Nothing wrong with telling the truth. I'm a no excuse guy.

You guys called me a Miller homer, and nobody was down on him more than me this season. I'm a fair minded fan. Even if you're my favorite player I will hold you accountable for your play. Wish these LaMelo fanboys would do the same.

[JMAC3]

If you aren't even going to read the posts and provide any context then just don't post. This is troll behavior.

because again your logic of Melo being hurt all the time, but the real answer is to trade for a guy who plays even less makes no sense.

[JustBuzzin]

If you aren't even going to read the posts and provide any context then just don't post. This is troll behavior.

because again your logic of Melo being hurt all the time, but the real answer is to trade for a guy who plays even less makes no sense.

Look above.