Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread

[UnFadeable21]

LaVar Ball on LaMelo's reserve role in Charlotte:

“My thing is he ain't happy with that, but he ain't go show that... Here is what they don't get: My boys are not freakin' role players! They superstars! Let them do what they do!"


LaVar Ball also confirmed that his other son, LiAngelo, intends to play in the NBA G League bubble, saying, "That should happen." He listed the middle Ball brother as a 6-foot-7, 245-pound wing. Ball also made his pitch for a family reuinion on the Los Angeles Lakers.

"When their contracts are done, who's to say that [when] all the LeBron drama and everything in L.A. is over with and they're losing, and my Ball boys decided at the top of their game... they say, 'You know what? Let's all decide to go to L.A.,'" Ball said. "Who ain't gonna take them Ball boys?"

https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-charlotte-hornets-lamelo-ball-lavar-ball-my-sons-are-not-freakin-role-players

[UnFadeable21]

Hornets should start Lamelo and move one of Graham or Rozier to 6th man

[amcoolio]

I'm sure LaMelo is fine, Lavar must be off his meds again

[DY_nasty]

i'm actually looking forward to a lavar ball rant

never thought i'd say that

but he was right about luke walton ijs lol

lamelo already earned the job imo

[UnFadeable21]

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[yosemiteben]

STFU Lavar

I don't buy that the time that LaMelo starts sucking is the time to make the switch. I personally like LaMelo's current role and hope he maintains a positive attitude about it. He'll get every opportunity, but I don't think we turn over the keys to someone at his stage of development.

[DY_nasty]

why not? we play better when he plays better

letting him set the tone early instead of repeatedly having him attempt to salvage our offense with the rest of the bench isn't exactly a role he needs to improve at. we know he can play well now. both on offense and defense. he needs to get comfortable with our best players - against other starting units.

...not trying to jumpstart the offense with guys who are trying to figure out their place in the league.

if anything, you could argue he's forcing these recent turnovers by trying so hard to get these guys going. its hard to let the game come to you when you're always out there trying to get the team back on track.

[BigSlam]

Not saying he shouldn’t start, also not saying what other teams are doing with their rookies should matter, but...

How many rookies are staring this year?

Wiseman, Williams and Okoro?

Is that it?

Could the long college layoff, lack of SL and a real training camp along with the condensed season be motivating teams not to start rookies?

[DY_nasty]

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okay so

graham can shoot terribly while running nothing and get as many minutes as he wants, miles can play 20 minutes and get 4 turnovers and not even get a single shot up and its never an issue

but lamelo turns the ball over because he's trying to make something out of nothing in a game where everyone plays sloppy and he gets the "see this is what i'm talking about!" quote

oh and defense? lol

borrego is inviting scrutiny with this. he's acting like an assistant coach who's trying to keep the ship steady not a head coach who will make a decision and stand on it firmly. the team looked a mess after a huge rest. that's on him.

[JMAC3]

Not saying he shouldn’t start, also not saying what other teams are doing with their rookies should matter, but...

How many rookies are staring this year?

Wiseman, Williams and Okoro?

Is that it?

Could the long college layoff, lack of SL and a real training camp along with the condensed season be motivating teams not to start rookies?

Killian Hayes was starting, Cole Anthony starting, Avdija started every game so far.

[BigSlam]

okay so

graham can shoot terribly while running nothing and get as many minutes as he wants, miles can play 20 minutes and get 4 turnovers and not even get a single shot up and its never an issue

Bridges is a bad example in this case. He sat just as long as Ball did last night during the 2nd half.

If anything, Hayward should be the example here. Gordon committed 3 terrible turn overs in a row, each of his doing, but was not penalised.

It’s looking like JB values protecting the ball and not making mistakes more than he does someone not hitting shots - which might be why Tae keeps on keeping on.

Last night did seem to be the 1st time LaMelo made a series of mistakes though, and the punishment sure did seem stiff - and quick.

[BigSlam]

Not saying he shouldn’t start, also not saying what other teams are doing with their rookies should matter, but...

How many rookies are staring this year?

Wiseman, Williams and Okoro?

Is that it?

Could the long college layoff, lack of SL and a real training camp along with the condensed season be motivating teams not to start rookies?

Killian Hayes was starting, Cole Anthony starting, Avdija started every game so far.

I’ll give you Hayes and Avdija - but Anthony is only starting because of the Fultz injury and a serious lack of PG depth in Orlando.

So my point stands, 5 rookies out of 60 are starting.

Like I said; I don’t really care what other teams do with their rookies, only what we do with ours - but it is interesting to me.

[DY_nasty]

okay so

graham can shoot terribly while running nothing and get as many minutes as he wants, miles can play 20 minutes and get 4 turnovers and not even get a single shot up and its never an issue

Bridges is a bad example in this case. He sat just as long as Ball did last night during the 2nd half.

If anything, Hayward should be the example here. Gordon committed 3 terrible turn overs in a row, each of his doing, but was not penalised.

It’s looking like JB values protecting the ball and not making mistakes more than he does someone not hitting shots - which might be why Tae keeps on keeping on.

Last night did seem to be the 1st time LaMelo made a series of mistakes though, and the punishment sure did seem stiff - and quick.

if he values protecting the ball then he should care about bailout FGs and shots that are so horrible they're just as bad as turnovers as well - and that includes a LOT of guys on this team.

this is shook half-speak from a coach that's just making up reasons to be stubborn. force feeding the ball to biyombo or a swarmed PJ for a bad shot is giving the ball away too. coming down the court and heaving a 3 is a turnover. not getting yourself open and making the ballhandler put up some trash with the shotclock winding down? also belongs on the list.

JB is clowning.

[Braggins]

if he values protecting the ball then he should care about bailout FGs and shots that are so horrible they're just as bad as turnovers as well - and that includes a LOT of guys on this team.

Nope, only Monk takes bad shots and he MUST be punished.

[johanliebert]

:roll:

I'm sure LaMelo is fine, Lavar must be off his meds again

Nah i noticed he wasn't pleased when Barrego pulled him when Zeller couldnt catch one of his passes which led to a turnover...you could see it in his face. I don't think he saw the floor again.

Players usually have someone in the media or "sources" talk for them..the beauty with lavar is melo doesnt need that.

[johanliebert]

Not saying he shouldn’t start, also not saying what other teams are doing with their rookies should matter, but...

How many rookies are staring this year?

Wiseman, Williams and Okoro?

Is that it?

Could the long college layoff, lack of SL and a real training camp along with the condensed season be motivating teams not to start rookies?

Killian Hayes was starting, Cole Anthony starting, Avdija started every game so far.

I’ll give you Hayes and Avdija - but Anthony is only starting because of the Fultz injury and a serious lack of PG depth in Orlando.

So my point stands, 5 rookies out of 60 are starting.

Like I said; I don’t really care what other teams do with their rookies, only what we do with ours - but it is interesting to me.

60 rookies? melo is the 3rd overall pick and so far has been the best rookie from his class.

maybe this criticism is a response to Lavar but barrego must know he can't win here with how the NBA is these days. If the organization has to chose between melo or the coach it's not a hard decision.

Lastly the team is lucky melo is very confident cause harping about turnovers with a young PG is never a good thing it kills their development.

[Braggins]

I personally like LaMelo's current role and hope he maintains a positive attitude about it. He'll get every opportunity, but I don't think we turn over the keys to someone at his stage of development.

Yeah, I don't see any reason to complain about his general role. He still has periods where he really struggles playing mostly against back ups. I think hed do well enough starting, but I also think letting him build confidence and consistency on the second unit before throwing him to the wolves is reasonable. I lean towards thinking LaMelo has the confidence to not get too shook if he were thrown in the starting role and struggled to adjust for a while, but I also don't know if risking it is really worth it when hes still getting plenty of minutes most nights, still gets some reps against starters anyways, and is generally playing well and improving in his current role.

I get the complain about him getting yanked against Chicago, though. Most of the team looked like crap and he did seem to get singled out a bit more than guys usually do under Borrego, but it was also just one game and Im not ready to make much of a deal about it.

[DY_nasty]

i like borrego but man..... you can't create this kind of stage for yourself with the handling of a high profile pick - you can't just do your own thing, comfortably, in a small market setting anymore

he is not going to want national sports world attention on how he runs things here

[yosemiteben]

I mean, Melo had 5 tos in 16 minutes. If there is one thing I'm worried about with him, it's that he's going to feel like he's too good to need to play disciplined. I have no problem with teaching him that he needs to play under control.

Graham's shot has been off, but dude is sporting almost a 6:1 a:to ratio. He's been fantastic handling the ball.

[SWedd523]

Lastly the team is lucky melo is very confident cause harping about turnovers with a young PG is never a good thing it kills their development.

Any examples of this you'd like to share?