Hornets Predicted To Cut Ties With LaMelo Ball To Pull Off Blockbuster Trade for $215,159,700 Star
The Charlotte Hornets find themselves in an intriguing situation that might have them move on from franchise point guard LaMelo Ball.
Ball has wowed crowds with his shooting and playmaking highlights throughout the past couple of seasons, but Charlotte hasn’t been able to return to the NBA playoffs in that span. If the team were to move on from him in the near future, which star guard may be a strong candidate as a potential replacement? Hint: He is earning $215,159,700 under his current contract.
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Who Can Hornets Get for LaMelo Ball?
Ball has struggled with injuries over the years, including a fractured ankle in the 2023-24 campaign. He hasn’t been able to take part in over 70 games since the 2021-22 season, when he played in 75 contests.
The Hornets have either been in the play-in picture or in the draft lottery, failing to make massive progress with their playoff aspirations. PFSN’s Brandon Austin went over potential trades that each of the 30 NBA teams can pull off. For Charlotte, he believes that the team can trade him to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Trae Young.
“Instead of paying Trae Young, the Hawks can acquire a younger star point guard who better aligns with the timeline of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Onyeka Okongwu, and Co. LaMelo Ball is just 24 years old, three years younger than Young,” Austin wrote.
“For the Hornets, they currently boast the NBA’s longest active playoff drought, so bringing in Young could be appealing. Not only could he help get Charlotte over the hump, but Young could serve as a veteran leader for the Hornets’ young core. While Ball recently shot down rumors that he wants to be traded, Charlotte is still reportedly listening to offers, so perhaps this could be a win-win blockbuster.”
Young has had success over the years with Atlanta, leading them to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021. He also had them reach the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 while remaining in the play-in tournament in 2024 and 2025.
He brings similar traits to Ball with his shooting and playmaking talents, but has shown the leadership to help any team raise its ceiling. If Charlotte makes the move, the squad might have more consistency positively.
What’s Next for Hornets?
It will be interesting to see how the Hornets deal with Ball’s long-term future with the franchise. In the meantime, they will need to figure out ways to recover from their poor start to the 2025-26 campaign.
Charlotte has a 4-14 record on the season, holding the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 0.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and 1.5 games ahead of the Washington Wizards, while trailing the Milwaukee Bucks by 3.5 games and the Philadelphia 76ers by 5.5 games.
The Hornets will prepare for their final game of the NBA Cup group stage, which will be played at home. They host the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET. After that, they face the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
