LaMelephant: The LaMelo Ball Thread (#2)

[GoBobs]

LaMelo is the best player on the team, by far. There is no world where trading LaMelo gets us closer to being good.

When will Melo make us good is my question?

It would be nice to actually win some games and make the playoffs in the LaMelo era. Otherwise why are we keeping a guy on a supermax who can't lead us to the playoffs.

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

[JustBuzzin]

LaMelo is the best player on the team, by far. There is no world where trading LaMelo gets us closer to being good.

When will Melo make us good is my question?

It would be nice to actually win some games and make the playoffs in the LaMelo era. Otherwise why are we keeping a guy on a supermax who can't lead us to the playoffs.

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

[Rich4114]

When will Melo make us good is my question?

It would be nice to actually win some games and make the playoffs in the LaMelo era. Otherwise why are we keeping a guy on a supermax who can't lead us to the playoffs.

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

How do you still not get the point? We know this. What you are saying though is that regardless of the rest of the roster, talent, other player injuries, etc. that LaMelo if he were truly good would carry us to a winning record... and since he clearly cannot do that, we should move him... for less talent and future picks? What player can we trade him for that will carry Daquan, Moussa, NSJ, Wong, G-League NPC1, G-League NPC-2, etc. to the playoffs?

[fatlever]

LaMelo Ball - The Myrtle Beach Thread

[EmpireFalls]

LaMyrtle Ball

All the talent in the world but got his shot selection from Señor Frogs

[fatlever]

LaMyrtle Ball

All the talent in the world but got his shot selection from Señor Frogs

LaMyrtle Beach Ball

bought from Eagles or Wings or Piggly Wiggly?

[JustBuzzin]

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

How do you still not get the point? We know this. What you are saying though is that regardless of the rest of the roster, talent, other player injuries, etc. that LaMelo if he were truly good would carry us to a winning record... and since he clearly cannot do that, we should move him... for less talent and future picks? What player can we trade him for that will carry Daquan, Moussa, NSJ, Wong, G-League NPC1, G-League NPC-2, etc. to the playoffs?

I'm saying my issue is he can't stay healthy and we don't win when he's healthy. It's a proven fact. Blame roster or whatever.

You got people in the Nat'l media literally hoping Flagg doesn't end up in Charlotte. It's a reputation we have developed that we can't develop winning talent. Nobody is putting all the blame on LaMelo.

But sorry if I kept the focus on him because this topic is actually supposed to be about HIM!

Cmon guys I'm cooking in here. The main focus keeps coming back to his health. We all know it just accept it and say that I was right this entire time.

[SWedd523]

I'm not going to hold the team record on/off with Melo against him. That fault rests squarely on the shoulders of the continued ineptitude of the FO.

Though I guess you could just as easily argue that it's functionally impossible to build a winning team around a guy who only plays half the games anyway, so what's the point in keeping him around unless it's simply to hope he bucks all the odds.


I would also like to argue that Melo's unreliable health and long term concerns gives even more reason to not play these "long term vision" building plans.

Refusal/Inability to put more talent around Melo = increased Melo dependence and workload

Increased Melo dependence and workload = quicker physical breakdown and more injuries

More injuries = shorter effective timeline

[Rich4114]

Well in terms of what they should do (based on LaMelo) with what is currently available to them, factoring in this team hasn't seen a playoff series in nearly a decade and is going into year 2 of a rookie max with a decision looming on Mark Williams...

We likely don't win the lottery and draft Flagg or Harper, though if we do it makes it much easier to see a path towards the playoffs because either of those players even as rookies moves the needle day one in the areas we need the needle moved.

Despite the LaMelo injury concerns, there is no doubt that he is our most talented player. There are issues to be concerned with on both Mark and Miller at this point. But if we want to reduce LaMelo injury risk, then we need an inside presence and we need more ball handling facilitators at any position. We also need better 3pt shooters if we're going to run an offense that spams 3pt shots.

If we are just going to run it back and depend 100% on Mark and Miller developing out of their current weaknesses then I have a hard time expecting very different results. I think he's willing to play different ways based on what the coaches want but until this roster is re-shaped + developed + optimized we will struggle and be inefficient. We've seen comparable guards get a lot of national praise and coverage because their teams are deep/balanced and have actual NBA skill at multiple positions beyond their top 6.

[JMAC3]

When will Melo make us good is my question?

It would be nice to actually win some games and make the playoffs in the LaMelo era. Otherwise why are we keeping a guy on a supermax who can't lead us to the playoffs.

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

And you realize that you are pushing drafting Dylan Harper who went 15-17 vs college athletes. Should we also come to consensus that he isn't worth drafting because he hasn't won or does that same logic not apply to him, just LaMelo?

[JDR720]

Had a dream that we traded him for Suggs and 3 1st round picks.

[JustBuzzin]

Bro....

We are 16-31 when LaMelo played this year.

We are 3-26 when LaMelo did not play.

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

And you realize that you are pushing drafting Dylan Harper who went 15-17 vs college athletes. Should we also come to consensus that he isn't worth drafting because he hasn't won or does that same logic not apply to him, just LaMelo?

WTF!

What does Harper a freshman on a bad team has to do with Melo losing for 5 straight seasons?

You defend Melo like he's your son. You love him so much you can't even admit he's injury prone. That's sad bro.

[fatlever]

Had a dream that we traded him for Suggs and 3 1st round picks.

haha locked on got stuck in your head.

[Rich4114]

Had a dream that we traded him for Suggs and 3 1st round picks.

"Magic guard Jalen Suggs will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, the team announced. Suggs had a cartilage fragment removed and also underwent a mosaicplasty procedure to repair the trochlear joint surface."

What's better than a problematic ankle? Certainly a problematic knee.

[JMAC3]

Bro you realize these are both losing records?

And you realize that you are pushing drafting Dylan Harper who went 15-17 vs college athletes. Should we also come to consensus that he isn't worth drafting because he hasn't won or does that same logic not apply to him, just LaMelo?

WTF!

What does Harper a freshman on a bad team has to do with Melo losing for 5 straight seasons?

You defend Melo like he's your son. You love him so much you can't even admit he's injury prone. That's sad bro.

Nah just pointing out how inconsistent your logic is always, LaMelo should be traded because he can't win.
But Harper gets a pass because his team is bad?

just like Melo is hurt all the time and we should trade him, but let's trade for Zion.

What is next in your logic that makes no sense? We should trade LaMelo because his defense is bad, but we should trade him for Trae Young?

[JustBuzzin]

And you realize that you are pushing drafting Dylan Harper who went 15-17 vs college athletes. Should we also come to consensus that he isn't worth drafting because he hasn't won or does that same logic not apply to him, just LaMelo?

WTF!

What does Harper a freshman on a bad team has to do with Melo losing for 5 straight seasons?

You defend Melo like he's your son. You love him so much you can't even admit he's injury prone. That's sad bro.

Nah just pointing out how inconsistent your logic is always, LaMelo should be traded because he can't win.
But Harper gets a pass because his team is bad?

just like Melo is hurt all the time and we should trade him, but let's trade for Zion.

What is next in your logic that makes no sense? We should trade LaMelo because his defense is bad, but we should trade him for Trae Young?

I like how you throw out my Zion idea as if it is my #1 option this off-season. I literally said only if we don't get a top 3 pick. That's when I would shift my attention to Zion because he's most likely the only realistic star available.

How are you even questioning Zion's injury history when you have ignored Melo's injury history. You should be all for this move if the goal is to put talent around LaMelo like you have been screaming all throughout this thread.

See how I just exposed you for calling out Zion's injury history yet ignoring Melo's injury history?

I'm cooking you bro. Just admit defeat.

[JDR720]

Had a dream that we traded him for Suggs and 3 1st round picks.

haha locked on got stuck in your head.

The weird part was that I saw Melo in Orlando racing his car around.

But I've never been to Orlando. So I dreamt it as the main road of Myrtle Beach, the hotels and Ripley's and the arcade etc.

[MasterIchiro]

Given their injury histories and games missed, I wouldn't pay more than a basement bargain price for Zion, thus wouldn't expect LaMelo suitors to pay more than a gross underpay for LaMelo.

So you don't get to sell one high and buy the other low. You either sell low on both or you don't.

You hold.

[Diop]

LaMyrtle Ball

All the talent in the world but got his shot selection from Señor Frogs

LaMyrtle Beach Ball

For some reason this made me think of Mario Kart.

Lamelo Ball racing around in a cart throwing shells at people

[JMAC3]

I like how you throw out my Zion idea as if it is my #1 option this off-season. I literally said only if we don't get a top 3 pick. That's when I would shift my attention to Zion because he's most likely the only realistic star available.

How are you even questioning Zion's injury history when you have ignored Melo's injury history. You should be all for this move if the goal is to put talent around LaMelo like you have been screaming all throughout this thread.

See how I just exposed you for calling out Zion's injury history yet ignoring Melo's injury history?

I'm cooking you bro. Just admit defeat.

Again, your logic almost never makes sense. Which is why I called you out to start with.
I have already cooked you, now you are back peddling trying to defend yourself when it makes no sense.
Which is why you have avoided the convo or trying to make this about me blindly loving LaMelo instead of sticking to the facts of what was said.

My Logic - I want the team to improve, therefore against trading LaMelo. Use current draft picks to improve the team around LaMelo via trade or drafting players to help Melo.

Your Logic- LaMelo is always hurt- trade him. or trade for Zion so they can both be hurt together.
LaMelo isn't good enough to win- trade him. Spend a top 2 pick on a guy that had a losing record in college to replace him.