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I'm off the Ball train.


TheMaulClaw
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13 hours ago, Proudiddy said:

Careful walking around with that Hot Take there, bro.

I know it's not popular opinion.  I don't mean any disrespect.  I think he would be a great piece for a contending team, but his game is missing a killer instinct and I don't have much faith in him in the clutch.  If you think about it, prior to the NBA he never really felt the pressure of winning.  Every team he played on a team was meant for his personal development.  Winning didn't really matter.   It got him to where he wants to go so I applaud that, but he never felt the pressure to win.

A team centerpiece is supposed to hold other teammates accountable.  They're supposed to rally their teammates to form a collective.  Ball just isn't a leader, he is a business man.  He is not a bad man and he's a good ball player, but he doesn't have the fire to lead his teammates.

Edited by TheMaulClaw
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Lamelo opinion here:

 

Ceiling:

Jason Kidd with better shooting percentages.

 

Floor:

Andre Miller with slightly better scoring

 

He is the number 2 option on a championship caliber team. Which isn't terrible. They need a number 1 though to compliment his game. 

Edited by OldNorthPowell
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30 minutes ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

He's very talented. But he's no Kobe, MJ, or LeBron.

LOL, who is?  Kinda lofty comparisons there

I had a professor in college that was really smart.  But he is no Albert Einstein!!

Edited by Shocker
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The rest of the team around him absolutely blows. This kid will win big with a legit team around him. Hopefully it's here with Wemby and Bridges next year, but I won't be surprised when fans like you and our dumbass owner run him out of town and he wins a few championships with the Lakers or Celtics.

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1 hour ago, Shocker said:

LOL, who is?  Kinda lofty comparisons there

I had a professor in college that was really smart.  But he is no Albert Einstein!!

I just mean, homers think he is THE guy to lead the team onward and upward, but I agree with the OP. He's not that guy. He's Klay Thompson not Steph Curry. And yes, I know the kid is better than Klay. I just mean ... he's not the elite of the elite.

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4 hours ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

I just mean, homers think he is THE guy to lead the team onward and upward, but I agree with the OP. He's not that guy. He's Klay Thompson not Steph Curry. And yes, I know the kid is better than Klay. I just mean ... he's not the elite of the elite.

You think Melo is better than prime Klay? Klay Thompson today yes. But prime Klay Thompson was a top 10-15 player in the league. 

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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.

 

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    • all offense.  OT. TE. G. in rd 1 to 3    Rd 1 19. Carolina Panthers: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson   OFFENSIVE TACKLE  6Grade: 1st–2nd rd. Blake Miller Clemson Has the physical traits, football IQ and toughness that NFL teams will bet on every time. A former high-level wrestler, four-year starter and team captain, Miller plays with great consistency and has the football IQ to make up for his penchant for playing tall. He may never dominate, but he could start for a decade.   Overview Hometown: Strongsville, OH Birthday: February 25, 2004 Age: 22.2 Jersey: No. 78 High School: Strongsville Year: Fourth-year senior A four-year starter at Clemson, Miller was a mainstay at right tackle in former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s balanced gap/zone scheme. Highly recruited out of the Cleveland area, he earned a starting job from day one at Clemson and was a model of consistency for a mostly inconsistent college offense. He started all 54 games the past four seasons (most consecutive starts by a non-specialist in school history) and set the Clemson record for career offensive snaps played (3,778). Miller has a good mix of on-field talent and intangibles. In pass protection, he is quick off the ball, with the range to mirror rushers up the arc and a surprisingly sturdy anchor to answer different types of rushers. Miller also shows his foot quickness and physical demeanor to move bodies in the run game. He isn’t a great bender, though, and savvy NFL rushers will find some success using his aggressive techniques against him. His coaches rave about his smarts and football character (NFL scout: “I think he missed one practice in four years. The thought of letting down his coaches and teammates kills him.”). Dane’s takeawa Miller has an upright play style that could lead to issues vs. NFL competition, but he has the type of profile (physical traits, football IQ, competitive toughness) that teams will bet on every time. He should compete for a starting right tackle role as a rookie Combine stats Hover any column header to see its definition. STAT HT   WT   HAND   ARM   WING   BP   10   20   40   VJ   BJ   SS   3C   Combine 6′63/4 317 93/4 341/4 837/8 32 1.75 2.92 5.04 32 9′5 DNP DNP Pro Day 6′65/8 318 93/4 343/8 823/4 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 4.65 7.75 Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice). Strengths Prototypical size — broad shoulders, outstanding arm length and athletic build Urgent in his setup and the way he operates (Duke edge rusher Wesley Williams said Miller was the best blocker he faced in 2025) Sets with a wide, sturdy base to withstand bull rushers down his middle Quick to respond and find balance after first contact in pass pro Has play strength to press rushers off him and keep them at bay Thudding, decisive hands as a run blocker; able to generate movement on drive blocks Shows off athleticism as a puller and on the move Voted a senior captain; member of the leadership council (NFL scout: “Love his focused mindset. Doesn’t cheat himself or his teammates.”) Remarkable toughness and consistently plays through bumps and bruises (broken wrist during 2025 spring practices required surgery, but he missed only one practice) Weaknesses Upright posture and inconsistent technique in pass protection Delivers adequate pop but doesn’t have overwhelming power to create knockback Can be late to draw hands from holster, opening his chest to rushers Gets caught leaning; requires a half-beat to get back in position NFL rushers will find some success setting him up Would like to see better control on perimeter to make it harder on defenders to avoid him Almost all (96.5 percent) of college snaps came at right tackle — lingering questions about his position flex   Rd 2  51. Carolina Panthers: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt   Eli Stowers Vanderbilt A mismatch-creating, explosive pass-catcher who must show he can block at the NFL level.     Overview Hometown: Denton, TX Birthday: April 15, 2003 Age: 23 Jersey: No. 9 High School: Guyer Year: Fifth-year senior A two-year starter at Vanderbilt (three-year starter overall), Stowers was a detached tight end (70.7 percent of snaps in the slot) in offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s run-heavy scheme. A highly recruited quarterback out of high school, Stowers began at Texas A&M and then New Mexico State but suffered multiple shoulder injuries, which forced him to change positions (Stowers: “I could never throw the same.”). With Diego Pavia as his quarterback for that transition, Stowers’ receiving production improved each of the past three seasons, including 769 receiving yards in 2025, tops among FBS tight ends and earning him All-America honors and the Mackey Award. An above-average athlete for the position, Stowers attacks defenders’ techniques and uses his quickness to consistently win one-on-one on slants, digs or seam balls. Because of the quarterback and scheme at Vanderbilt, he was asked to use his burst for quick windows and is unproven in other areas, although he has the speed to be more of a deep threat in a pro-style scheme. He delivered mixed results when asked to attack in traffic, but he has reliable hands and fluid adjustment skills. As a blocker, he has questionable physicality and sustain strength but competes when sealing or walling off defenders. Dane’s takeaway Stowers will need to prove himself as a serviceable blocker at the NFL level, but he is explosive as a pass catcher, and I love the way he maximizes his catch radius. He has mismatch-creating potential and can eventually develop into an NFL starter. Combine stats Hover any column header to see its definition. Scroll right to see more metrics. STATHTWTHANDARMWINGBP102040VJBJSS3C Combine6′33/423993/4325/8793/4DNP1.592.624.51451/211′3DNPDNP Pro Day6′31/224291/2327/879DNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNP Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice). Strengths Broad-shouldered frame, with adequate bulk and room to add mass “Freaks List” athlete, which is reflected on the tape and in testing Graceful speed to attack down the seam or after the catch Fluid route runner who can sink and cut on command Quarterback background is an asset when reading coverages and finding windows Solid ball skills, especially for a former quarterback (3.9 percent career drop rate) Frequently widens catch radius to make proper adjustments and bail out his quarterback NFL scouts say he logs “countless hours” at the facility and wants to be coached “harder than the rest of the team” Team captain; driven attitude made him a leader at Vandy Led FBS tight ends in 2025 in receiving yards per game (64.1) Weaknesses Lean muscle structure — more linear body type than what some teams prefer Competes but has marginal play strength as a run blocker (21 percent of snaps came inline) Light in the pants and likely will never overwhelm defenders at point of attack Not consistently efficient blocking backside on the move Can do a better job selling route movements with his eyes/shoulders Want to see him be more aggressive finishing on the ball in traffic Durable after moving to tight end at Vandy but had two key injuries before that: injured right (throwing) shoulder in high school, then tore labrum during freshman year, which required postseason surgery (Jan. 2022); torn PCL and meniscus in left knee in 2019 state championship game, which required surgery (Jan. 2020).         rd 3 83. Carolina Panthers: Jalen Farmer, G, Kentucky   Jalen Farmer Kentucky An athletic boulder who projects as a starter in the right scheme.   Overview Hometown: Covington, GA Birthday: January 6, 2004 Age: 22.3 Jersey: No. 52 High School: Eastside Year: Fourth-year junior A two-year starter at Kentucky, Farmer lined up at right guard in former offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s balanced scheme with gap-run principles. He struggled to see the field in two seasons in Gainesville, but he got in better shape after transferring to Lexington and things started to click. He started all 24 games at right guard the past two seasons and impressed during Senior Bowl week. Farmer has outstanding size, play strength and presence. Using his long arms and leg drive, he can fit up and dump defenders in the run game. He has a stout anchor and heavy punch in pass protection and is quick to replace his hands and recover when he’s initially beaten. His pad-level issues pop up more than you’d like, and the nasty flashes need to become more consistent. Dane’s takeaway Farmer is an athletic boulder in pass protection and a bulldozer as a run blocker. He should continue to ascend with pro coaching. He has NFL starting-caliber ability, especially if he lands with a team that specializes in a downhill, smash-mouth run game. ADVERTISEMENT Combine stats Hover any column header to see its definition. STATHTWTHANDARMWINGBP102040VJBJSS3C Combine6′47/831291/4341/4825/8DNP1.752.884.93279′0DNPDNP Pro DayDNP320DNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNP Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice). Strengths Boasts an NFL body — broad chest, thick core and long arms Strong at the point and flashes a finishing demeanor Drives his legs in the run game to generate jarring power at contact Functional mobility to wall off defenders and execute pulls Stout as a pass blocker to gobble up bull rushers Can be caught leaning out front but recovery skills are impressive Forceful hands to put dents into defenders when he connects Flagged just once in 2025 (holding vs. Eastern Michigan) Served as a team captain in four games in 2025 (NFL scout: “Matured and took better care of his body after transferring.”) Started all 24 games the past two seasons Weaknesses Pops upright too often at the snap, with inconsistent sink Can be caught oversetting and crossed up by quickness Late with his hands — would like to see him tighten his carriage Tardy working through slow-developing pressures and games Can do better job refitting in the run game when he doesn’t initially establish leverage Inconsistencies redirecting and adjusting in space will be more noticeable vs. NFL athletes Position flexibility questions — 100 percent of college snaps came at right guard ADVERTISEMENT College stats Hover any column header to see its definition. YEARSCHOOLGPGSPOS 2022Florida20— 2023Florida20— 2024Kentucky1212RG 2025Kentucky1212RG 2022 Enrolled May 2022 2024 Enrolled January 2024 Background Jalen Farmer, who has a brother (Tristan), was born and raised in the Atlanta area by his mother (Kartella Fuller) and father (Shaun Farmer). While growing up in a football family, he was “always around” the game and had several cousins who played. Farmer started playing at age 7 and was a defensive lineman and linebacker before moving exclusively to the offensive line. Farmer enrolled at Eastside High School in Covington, Ga., which is the alma mater of NFL players Sheldon Rankins and Eric Stokes. He was a four-year letterman on varsity and started 11 games as a sophomore left guard in 2019. Farmer returned as the starting left guard as a junior in 2020 and helped Eastside to 10 wins. As a senior, he played left guard and defensive tackle and was named 2021 Class 5A Region 8 Lineman of the Year. Farmer posted 50 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble as a senior, while adding a 1-yard rushing touchdown. He also lettered in track at Eastside, setting personal bests of 33 feet, 5 inches in the shot put and 61-4 in the discus.  A three-star recruit, Farmer was the 31st-ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2022 class and the No. 73 recruit in Georgia. After he became a starter as a sophomore, he picked up his first scholarship offer the following spring, from Georgia Tech (May 2020). Before his senior season, Farmer added an offer from Florida and committed to former head coach Dan Mullen, who then was fired a few months later. In the weeks before signing day, Farmer received a late flurry of offers from Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and Mississippi State. But thanks to a strong push from new Gators head coach Billy Napier, Farmer stayed committed to his first choice. He was the 13th-ranked recruit in Napier’s first class in Gainesville. After two seasons buried on the depth chart, Farmer entered the transfer portal in December 2023 and committed to Kentucky.  He elected to skip his senior year and declare for the NFL Draft. Farmer accepted a late invite to the Senior Bowl. ADVERTISEMENT    
    • Unfortunately you just can't get through to some of these folks. The most successful season in Panthers history our #1 WR was Ted Ginn Jr who had just as many bone headed drops as he did highlight touchdowns. We already have the highest paid OL in the league two years running. We need a balanced roster more than anything else clearly.
    • https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2026/04/06/nfl-draft-trade-rumors-panthers-chargers-quentin-johnston/89484524007/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=69d47a425bd91b00016ecfb1&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook Saw this hypothetical trade down scenario on Panthers wire where they had us dropping from 19 to 22 trade with the chargers which also knitted us the addition of Quinton Johnston personally I would take this deal because the players available at 22 and 19 are largely the same you could pick up maybe a tackle or even one of those defensive tackles that we liked like banks.  Grabbing a wide receiver who could probably replace legate and be a deep ball threat would be just what the doctor ordered in my opinion Yes he's kind of a reclamation project similar to legette but I think he's shown he can play and has more big game moments than legette. I think it would be like getting two for the price of one really allowing us to feel more holes getting a wide receiver and another spot filled for nothing but two or three draft spots.
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