Hornets trading LaMelo is a 'culture change'
Dan Patrick and the Danettes react to the Hornets reportedly dealing LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves, explaining why the 24-year-old guard has immense talent but also clear flaws.
Video Transcript
Feels like everybody is looking at San Antonio and OKC saying, "We gotta step our game up here."
Like, we g- g- you know, we're gonna measure ourself against those two teams.
Whether you draft somebody to go against Wemby, you're gonna have more depth to counteract OKC, but it feels like those two teams are kind of They're wagging the dog here.
You know, it's not the Knicks.
The Knicks, a wonderful story, but not everybody can say to, their star player, "Hey, would you leave $100 million on the table so we could build a roster?"
You know?
Like, it just doesn't happen like that.
They made magic this year.
They did it in a, a team-like effort, but that's not sustainable for other teams where they go, "Boy, that's the blueprint.
We have to find three guys who played on the same college team who won a national championship, get them to come here, hire the dad of the star, but then we're gonna get him to get-- leave $100 million on the table.
And at the trade deadline, when we're just basically a little better than average team, we're not going to reach and try to get Giannis for Karl-Anthony Towns."
That ain't happening.
Yes, Paulie.
Dan, I got a question for you because you watch Charlotte basketball, about LaMelo Ball.
24 years old, entering his prime, they trade him away for a bunch of future stuff, not even a player.
They seem like an up-and-coming team.
I only see highlights of him, and he looks really good in the highlights.
Is he a great player?
No, but I think he's an entertaining player.
In today's NBA, he's gonna get clicks.
Now, I don't know how important that is for the team, but LaMelo Ball makes highlights.
I think there's been, whispers of work ethic, and maybe, maybe a direction they wanted.
Naz Reid's a really good player.
Like, he's, he's one of those Mikal Bridges where you go, "Man, you're lucky to have him," or OG Anunoby.
He's a, he's a really good player.
yes, Marvin.
And I think him going to Minnesota and playing with Anthony Edwards, he's gonna play serious basketball because Anthony Edwards, he's a guy we don't talk about in the regular season, but in the playoffs, we never question whether he's serious about trying.
They went to the Western Conference finals twice.
I know.
So now he's gonna play real meaningful games in the Western Conference with Anthony Edwards.
Well, they were playing meaningful games this year.
They made the playoffs.
You're talking about the Hornets?
Yeah.
They were cute.
But I'm talking about Western Conference finals second round.
Uh-huh.
You're right.
You're playing against Joker, you're playing against Bron, you're playing aga- against KD.
Yes, Paul.
That's what I don't understand.
The Hornets were kind of a nice little surprise.
44 wins, Knipple.
They seemed promising.
And you m- move around things.
I don't get it.
Yeah.
Now that, that's like a culture change it feels like for them.
Like Ja Morant, that's gonna be a culture change.
They're gonna get rid of Ja Morant.
He's available.
the question is, what do you get in return?
Because they brought in Boozer.
That's a culture change.
That's now his team.
And, you know, they got rid of Jaren Jackson, and you're gonna get rid of Ja Morant.
Like, that experiment didn't work.
Yes, Marvin.
That's how fast things move in the NBA.
I know.
Just maybe about three or four years ago, Memphis was the number two seed in the West.
Yeah.
That's how fast things go.
And they also won the Summer League championship a couple years ago.
Oh, these bears don't hibernate.
