I'm off the Ball train.

[Wanderlai]

How does he get help in Charlotte? No big time free agents are coming here. They either luck out in the draft or it’s game over. 

[MechaZain]

This thread stiiiiiiiiinks. The kid is 21 and the whole team plays better when he’s distributing. Prime Steph or KD on wouldn’t make this group into contenders but you’re ready to write off the most talented player in the team’s history? Because he can’t Lebron a bottom barrel squad into the Finals singlehandedly? Good grief.

 

[Proudiddy]

3 hours ago, MechaZain said:

This thread stiiiiiiiiinks. The kid is 21 and the whole team plays better when he’s distributing. Prime Steph or KD on wouldn’t make this group into contenders but you’re ready to write off the most talented player in the team’s history? Because he can’t Lebron a bottom barrel squad into the Finals singlehandedly? Good grief.

 

I honestly think it's still angst from Rhule's time here combined with the shitty offseason the Hornets put together.  Hiring back a loser coach we fired, punting the 13th pick, and signing no one really stunk things up for the fanbase.  Then Rhule destroying the culture and running our football franchise into the ground while being brought back for a 3rd srason he shouldn't have even sniffed because we all knew he was in over his head...  Us as fans, knowing both our football and basketball teams were going into shitty seasons because of shitty leadership and piss poor decisions by our front offices really bubbled up a ton of apathy, anger, and venom towards our teams.  A lot of our respective fanbases have never felt more hopeless.  I think that's where it's coming from.  

[TheMaulClaw]

10 hours ago, Proudiddy said:

I think this "lacks killer instinct" stuff and "good, not great," and "solid #2" lacks some serious perspective.  Was Magic the killer MJ and Kobe were?  Could he have won a championship with the supporting cast Melo had had?  Absolutely not.  What about LeBron? Nope.  He is a top-tier NBA superstar.  A lot of people are jumping to these proclamations in a season in which our dumbass organization hired the coach they previously fired, in part for his archaic offense and outlook on the game, as well as his lack of meaningful development of young players during his time here previously.  A season which we were blindsided by Miles DV case which resulted in our second best player, a borderline, burgeoning all-star caliber player, being absent from the team, likely for the season.  A season in which Melo has been injured twice for a significant amount of time.  A season in which the team essentially threw their hands up in the offseason after the Miles issues, and did nothing but punt a lottery pick for nothing, draft a big that'll rarely ever play or develop under the retread coach they brought back, and then signed scraps off the heap that were left the month before the season started.  

So, what exactly did you expect him to do with this roster, coach, and loser ass organization we have on a season in which they chose not to compete?

You should be grateful to have him, imo, because it's one of those things where you don't know what you have until it's gone.  Melo is charismatic, a young star, and the straw that stirs the drink kind of guy who other players love to play with...  you want him here.  Now, if we could just get the talent around him to allow him to fully play to his potential.  And don't hold your breath for Victor W...  even if we finish dead last, the NBA is not giving us that top pick.  It'll be another Anthony Davis situation.  They'll find another franchise that has a more favorable FO and coach in place where he'll get more exposure.

And finally, look at Giannis' and Lebron's history with Melo.  That tells you all you need to know about what his peers consider him.  He needs fuging help.  Period.

 

How are you using Magic here? Ball is no Magic.  Why is he even being compared to any of the greats? Kemba Walker was better.  Hell Kemba got us to the playoffs with the same coach we are seeing now.  Hell Gerald Wallace was better. Baron Davis was better.  Ball ranks about 19th on the best Hornets list if that.

Edited January 8, 2023 by TheMaulClaw

[TheMaulClaw]

6 hours ago, MechaZain said:

This thread stiiiiiiiiinks. The kid is 21 and the whole team plays better when he’s distributing. Prime Steph or KD on wouldn’t make this group into contenders but you’re ready to write off the most talented player in the team’s history? Because he can’t Lebron a bottom barrel squad into the Finals singlehandedly? Good grief.

 

Lol. He is not the most talented player in team history.

[frankw]

Using Kemba to crap on LaMelo? Kemba didn't even start averaging 20 points until his 5th season and Ball is already doing that in his third season. OP is like Scott Fowler on the night we drafted LaMelo and then kicked up several more notches. The way this franchise is mismanaged Ball may not even want to stick around so you're wasting energy hating on him.

[TheMaulClaw]

1 hour ago, frankw said:

Using Kemba to crap on LaMelo? Kemba didn't even start averaging 20 points until his 5th season and Ball is already doing that in his third season. OP is like Scott Fowler on the night we drafted LaMelo and then kicked up several more notches. The way this franchise is mismanaged Ball may not even want to stick around so you're wasting energy hating on him.

No hate, just being honest.  He's a mid tier star,  and the best we can be with him headlining is average.  Great 3rd scoring option and highlight distributor on a championship team, but he shouldn't be THE GUY.

[djp14]

On 1/10/2023 at 11:04 PM, TheMaulClaw said:

the best we can be with him headlining is average.

Average would be a refreshing change.

[toldozer]

Let's pair Melo with Victor or Scoot and then see what we can do. Kemba won what 7 games with a similarly talented roster. The rest of the team sucks what do you want him to do?

[toldozer]

On 1/10/2023 at 11:04 PM, TheMaulClaw said:

No hate, just being honest.  He's a mid tier star,  and the best we can be with him headlining is average.  Great 3rd scoring option and highlight distributor on a championship team, but he shouldn't be THE GUY.

You understand If we suck hard enough this year he will be "co-headlining" with another really good player. You don't win with one really good player. You need multiple.  Trading him would be beyond idiotic.

[Shocker]

Until something big happens to this team (like getting the #1 pick) or winning on some big trade this team is going to remain at best average.  We have been here basically forever as a franchise.

[KatsAzz]

On 1/8/2023 at 9:07 AM, Wanderlai said:

How does he get help in Charlotte? No big time free agents are coming here. They either luck out in the draft or it’s game over. 

Meanwhile the Charlotte Hornets remains a cellar dwelling type team

[TheMaulClaw]

3 hours ago, toldozer said:

You understand If we suck hard enough this year he will be "co-headlining" with another really good player. You don't win with one really good player. You need multiple.  Trading him would be beyond idiotic.

He is going to leave anyway.

[frankw]

32 points from LaMelo in a 10 point loss and our young center we just drafted never even left the bench. Even if we get Wembanyama Cliff is just going to let him rot on the bench.