Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread

[yosemiteben]

In case anyone is concerned about whether LaMelo will be marketable, this is the ESPN NBA Draft Page https://www.espn.com/nba/draft/news

7 articles/links about LaMelo
2 articles about Toppin
1 article about Wiseman
1 article about Edwards


I'll be very surprised if LaMelo is there when we pick, seems likely a team like the Knicks will want to put this guys face on every piece of team merchandise.

No one here cares and rightly so.

NBA players definitely do. You think the Warriors have any trouble convincing free agents to play with Steph?

If they sucked they would.

Guys want to come win championships with Steph. They aren't coming to GSW to lose with Steph just because he's marketable.

Talk to me about the guys that have gone to play with guys like Devin Booker, Brad Beal, KAT, Lonzo, Fox, etc. Nobody even came to play with Steph until they were championship caliber with Kerr.

[Shaqsoldestboy]

If they sucked they would.

Guys want to come win championships with Steph. They aren't coming to GSW to lose with Steph just because he's marketable.

Talk to me about the guys that have gone to play with guys like Devin Booker, Brad Beal, KAT, Lonzo, Fox, etc. Nobody even came to play with Steph until they were championship caliber with Kerr.

True, the only Cali team that lands major free agent regardless of if it's winning is the Lakers. AND they didn't get that many when they were loosing either.

[luciano-davidwesley]

In case anyone is concerned about whether LaMelo will be marketable, this is the ESPN NBA Draft Page https://www.espn.com/nba/draft/news

7 articles/links about LaMelo
2 articles about Toppin
1 article about Wiseman
1 article about Edwards


I'll be very surprised if LaMelo is there when we pick, seems likely a team like the Knicks will want to put this guys face on every piece of team merchandise.

No one here cares and rightly so.

NBA players definitely do. You think the Warriors have any trouble convincing free agents to play with Steph?

Lol do you work for TMZ or something? People want to play with Steph because he's good and they want to win. Not because he's marketable. That's also the reason he's marketable FYI.

Pre-NBA hype disappears quickly once people figure out they aren't going to be superstar players. I'm not saying Lamelo will fail but picking him based on his Instagram follower numbers is just a ludicrous argument for drafting a basketball player.

[DY_nasty]

Dante Exum had all kinds of commercials

Did he? Legit don't remember that.


Also I in no way care how marketable a player is for our team. That's a problem for the billionaires. I just want a fun/good basketball team.

Yeah, Exum had one of the biggest marketing deals with Foot Locker at the time.

[316Hornets]

No one here cares and rightly so.

NBA players definitely do. You think the Warriors have any trouble convincing free agents to play with Steph?

Lol do you work for TMZ or something? People want to play with Steph because he's good and they want to win. Not because he's marketable. That's also the reason he's marketable FYI.

Pre-NBA hype disappears quickly once people figure out they aren't going to be superstar players. I'm not saying Lamelo will fail but picking him based on his Instagram follower numbers is just a ludicrous argument for drafting a basketball player.

I watched PJ Washington on Twitch today playing a video game. He had at most 50 viewers with less than 20 for a long time. These guys have lives outside the basketball court and being a popular figure that people know of is important to a lot of athletes. I'm not saying LaMelo is going to make the whole team famous, but he definitely has the ability to put the team in the National spotlight.

Now, the guy is a gamble. If he flops, we will just be a laughing stock. It's a high risk, high reward pick. I like the play just because of the situation we are in. At worst, we could be looking at another high lotto pick in a loaded double draft in 2022.

[MasterIchiro]

Mitch Kupchak has had a long career as a GM. Where is a single example of him taking a home run swing?

When I look at his history the pattern looks well established. Kupchak doesn't swing for high risk prospects.

Ingram - Russell - Randle - Clarkson - Zubac - Nance Jr. - Bridges - Devonte' - PJ - Martin.

Plus with Devonte' here and Rozier, I suspect LaMelo is lower on Kupchak's board than most other GM's.

[yosemiteben]

I don't get what late first and second round guys like Zubac, Clarkson, Blanca, Devonte, or Martin twins have to do with this. Everyone in the late first or second round is a high risk prospect.

Everytime Kupchak has had a lotto pick, he's generally stuck with a consensus pick. Not clear to me why Ball is different.

ETA: and for as much as i don't want Ball, I definitely see Edwards, Wiseman, and Deni as very high risk prospects.

[Hornet Mania]

Mitch Kupchak has had a long career as a GM. Where is a single example of him taking a home run swing?

When I look at his history the pattern looks well established. Kupchak doesn't swing for high risk prospects.

Ingram - Russell - Randle - Clarkson - Zubac - Nance Jr. - Bridges - Devonte' - PJ - Martin.

Plus with Devonte' here and Rozier, I suspect LaMelo is lower on Kupchak's board than most other GM's.

Bynum, maybe?

I also doubt that Ball is Mitch's type.

[Rays Pompadour]

If Ball is there at 3, Kupchak will take him. He's elite in key areas and has developmental upside - all things any good GM desires. Ball just doesn't have a jumpshot and his head is up his...well, the kid has room to grow, including between the ears. But he's the pick if he lasts to #3.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

My gut feeling about LaMelo is that he will end up being a good stats on a bad team kind of guy. I just don't think that he has the drive to do what he will need to do in order to reach his full potential.

[James Gatz]

My gut feeling about LaMelo is that he will end up being a good stats on a bad team kind of guy. I just don't think that he has the drive to do what he will need to do in order to reach his full potential.

This is certainly a possibility. I worry about more with Edwards but it's a concern with Ball. I wouldn't be shocked to see him make multiple all star games on teams that barely make the playoffs each year. You're basically betting on the culture of the franchise and his own mindset. Lonzo has looked a like a solid pro despite the fan fair. Easily could be different for Lamelo but without inside information there is no real way for us to know.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Hence 'gut feeling' and not 'I know.'

[James Gatz]

Hence 'gut feeling' and not 'I know.'

Didn't intend to come off as argumentative. I was more just acknowledging your point and agreeing it's certainly a possibility.

I think it's more likely than not that Lamelo doesn't turn into a top guy or reach his potential. For me, it's worth the risk when faced with the options.

[Benjamin Linus]

Still want to see LaMelo in Atlanta. It could work... but it could also be a disaster... in a sorta fun way

[HornetJail]

Still want to see LaMelo in Atlanta. It could work... but it could also be a disaster... in a sorta fun way

Me too, it would be very very easy to score on them

[DY_nasty]

Still want to see LaMelo in Atlanta. It could work... but it could also be a disaster... in a sorta fun way

Me too, it would be very very easy to score on them

good lord

a trae/lamelo backcourt would feed the league for years

[Benjamin Linus]

Throw in the nights when they’re launching bricks from 40 feet out

I’m all for it

[driveandkick]

My gut feeling about LaMelo is that he will end up being a good stats on a bad team kind of guy. I just don't think that he has the drive to do what he will need to do in order to reach his full potential.

Reminder that there is absolutely zero evidence or reason to believe that this will be a problem with Melo. This idea purely stems back to his father being a head case. I just think it’s extremely unfair to LaMelo

[yosemiteben]

My gut feeling about LaMelo is that he will end up being a good stats on a bad team kind of guy. I just don't think that he has the drive to do what he will need to do in order to reach his full potential.

Reminder that there is absolutely zero evidence or reason to believe that this will be a problem with Melo. This idea purely stems back to his father being a head case. I just think it’s extremely unfair to LaMelo

Don't think this is fair. For me the evidence is his complete lack of discipline in his game. Completely absurd shot selection. No commitment to defense. Terrible shot mechanics despite having every available resource to fix his shot.

For me those are red flags about drive and focus.

[DY_nasty]

My gut feeling about LaMelo is that he will end up being a good stats on a bad team kind of guy. I just don't think that he has the drive to do what he will need to do in order to reach his full potential.

Reminder that there is absolutely zero evidence or reason to believe that this will be a problem with Melo. This idea purely stems back to his father being a head case. I just think it’s extremely unfair to LaMelo

Nah.... it should be a goal for every PG to be efficient.

Dude don't care about none of that