The Charlotte Hornets are off to a 4-11 start to the year. This is not much of a surprise, as the Hornets have not finished with a winning record since the 2021/22 season. Their rough start should not take away from the young talent Charlotte has on their team. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Ryan Kalkbrenner are all under 25. Additionally, Miles Bridges is just 27 years old.
With this young core, it is easy to become excited for what the future might hold in Charlotte, despite the past few seasons. However, Ball is not as excited for the future with the Hornets. In fact, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reports that Ball is unhappy in Charlotte, and he is open to the idea of a trade.
LaMelo Ball’s Season
Ball has all the talent needed to succeed in the NBA. In his career, the 24-year-old is averaging 21.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. This year, Ball is nearly averaging a double-double with 21.6 points and 9.6 assists per game.
The stats, on the surface level, are impressive. However, Ball is shooting 38.5% from the field and 29.8% from beyond the arc. Both of those numbers are career lows for the former first-round pick. Still, the Hornets remain a better team with Ball on the court, despite his poor shooting.
The one problem with Ball is his durability. He has played more than 51 games just once in his five full NBA seasons. This is his sixth year in the league, and Ball has missed six of the team’s 15 games with an ankle injury. The same ankle that has plagued him in the past.
The Hornets have a tough stretch of games to end November. But Ball is healthy, active, and will be on the court up until the Hornets decide on whether or not they will part ways with the star guard.
What Can the Hornets Get in Return For Ball?
Ball is a bona fide star in the league. He can be an elite scorer, and does a great job finding the open man when he has to pass. When Ball is active this season, the Hornets are averaging 120.6 points per game. Without him, Charlotte averages 110.7 points per game.
If Ball is dealt this season, the Hornets are going to get a large return. He is still young, and his playmaking abilities are hard to come by. Charlotte would be able to receive plenty of draft capital and/or a few solid players in return.
His injury history will make teams hesitant to take the chance on him, though. Teams are not going to want to spend the money to acquire a player who will only play half the season. If Ball is traded, there will be thorough medical evaluations to determine his risk of reinjury, and whether the deal is worth it.
The other factor that will hold teams back is his contract. Ball is owed $37.9 million this year, and over $40 million each of the next three seasons. Not many teams have the cap space to take on Ball’s contract. If a trade is made, Charlotte will have to eat some of the money, or take on a few contracts from the receiving team.
Nonetheless, Ball is a player who would make any team better. If Charlotte decides to trade him, they will be taking a step back in the rebuild.
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