r/timberwolves • u/llockedin_honest • Jun 27 '26
Hopeful Minnesota fans I followed the Hornets for 6 years…let me tell you the truth
Lamelo to Timberwolves has made me so happy but it seems like some fans don’t like this so I’m going to give you a breakdown of what transpired in his 6 years at Charlotte…
Media narratives often portray Lamelo Ball in a negative light, but it’s important to understand the context behind these perceptions.
From a young age, Lamelo has faced criticism from the media due to his father’s boisterous personality. However, unlike Lonzo, Lamelo and his father were not on good terms when Lamelo went to Australia. Since then, Lamelo has been doing his own thing, has his own management, and has never repped the BBB. Ultimately, it’s his father who helped him achieve his success, and it’s unfair to dismiss his contributions.
When Lamelo was drafted to the Hornets, there were concerns that his father would influence the organization. However, Lavar Ball wasn’t trying to exert any control. He simply wanted his sons to play together, like any father would.
Despite these positive aspects, the media continues to portray Lamelo as unserious and immature. However, there’s no evidence to support these claims. Many people make these statements until they actually get to know him, and they’ll find that he’s a genuinely fun and enjoyable person to be around. Moreover, Lamelo takes basketball very seriously and only plays basketball, 2K and hangs with his dogs, according to Miles Bridges. He’s not interested in nightlife - not like thats an issues tbh.
OFF COURT ISSUES are rare for Lamelo. The only notable incident was his driving, but he’s largely unproblematic. However, the media’s negative portrayal of him is rooted in prejudice and irrelevant concerns. They use dog whistles and lack nuance in their criticism. It’s frustrating because the perception of Lamelo is determined by how the media views him.
When Lamelo Ball played for the Hornets, the team had a 45.9% win percentage (139-164 record). Without him, the win percentage dropped to 26.8% (48-131 record). For comparison, the Minnesota Wolves have a career win percentage of 54.5% (241-201 record) when Anthony Edwards plays and a win percentage of 60.0% when he misses games.
This clearly indicates an organizational problem, which I’ll address in more detail. If you’ve been following the Hornets closely, you’ll know that Lamelo Ball genuinely wants to win. His playing style may not reflect his desire to win for some but, and he’s willing to adjust things when asked by coaching staff.
I won’t delve into the analytics of his on/off performance or offensive impact; he’s undeniably a powerhouse. At the Hornets, he was essentially a Ferrari engine in a Prius, except for the last year.
ORGANIZATIONAL DYSFUNCTION: Many people believe that the organization that drafts you can make or break your career. I wanted the Golden State Warriors in the 2020 draft, and so did he. I feel he intentionally botched his interviews with the Wolves because he mentioned his dislike for the cold and his desire to be closer to home. A quick Google search reveals that the GSW had already expressed their intention to draft him on draft night. They ended up going another direction and he ended up on the Hornets and James Wiseman ended up a bust. Now, working with what he’s been given, his rookie year was a rollercoaster ride. He was drafted to a dysfunctional organization that didn’t trust him from the start. He came off the bench for the first 20 games, behind a, Deontae Graham, who is currently playing in Serbia.
While this can be seen as development, I didn’t have significant issues with it, considering the GM was Mitch Kupchak, a nine-time NBA champion. He likely wanted to develop Lamelo, but with an owner like Jordan, who was focused on keeping costs low, Mitch had limited options. Ultimately, Jordan ended up getting fleeced for his team (you can check on that…gambling debt), but the damage to Lamelo had already been done. Their medical staff was one of the worst, and they didn’t handle his injuries well, leading to recurring injuries.
CONCLUSION: There’s a lot of talk about Lamelo’s playoff success. When he played over 60 games, they had a winning record (albeit only two times). However, during the Jordan-Mitch era, they gradually let him down. The coaches he’s had have always made backward moves. Terry Rozier threw games, Miles Bridges was an abuser who jeopardized the entire team, and Gordon Hayward was past his prime. Despite his support cast, he’s had to overcome these challenges. Won rookie of the year, NBA All Star, got in play in 3 times, Last season and possibly the season before, there were signs of promise, but the issue has generally been injuries. I hope that the Mayo Clinic can address these issues should they arise. Can he clean up his game? Absolutely he’s going to be playing playoff basketball now he needs to get bigger and improve his game management but I’m so hopeful I got us winning in 2028… and yeah I said US I’m one of you now ……….
🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺
TLDR(FOR CONTEXT I USED AI FOR THIS PART ONLY)
LaMelo Ball is often unfairly criticized because of media narratives tied to his father rather than his own actions. In reality, he’s been independent for years, has few off-court issues, takes basketball seriously, and isn’t known for partying. The Charlotte Hornets have consistently performed much better when he plays, suggesting he’s a major positive impact. Much of the team’s lack of success is attributed to organizational dysfunction, poor roster decisions, injuries, and instability rather than LaMelo himself. The overall argument is that he’s an elite player whose reputation and career have been hurt more by circumstances than by his own flaws.
