NBA insider believes trading LaMelo Ball is 'the next logical thing' for Hornets to do

The Hornets have a tough decision to make.

Mar 12, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) warms up on the court before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images / Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets may have their minds made up (for now) about LaMelo Ball, but that doesn't mean the decision has been easy. On the one hand, they have an All-Star level point guard who had a career season and is virtually the only thing keeping the franchise relevant.

On the other hand, Ball hasn't played more than 50 games since 2022. He also shot career-low percentages from three and overall last season. He's very young, but he's already on a max extension, and the Hornets won 19 games.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them trade him, as he's exactly the kind of player who does get traded. A few months ago, NBA insider Mike Scotto said it would've made perfect sense for Charlotte to consider a blockbuster.

"If you were willing to part with Mark Williams—who’s 23 and pretty good, though he has some injury concerns—the next logical thing would be to also look at LaMelo Ball," Scotto said. "He’s on a max contract, and they’re not winning, obviously, for the foreseeable future."

The key question Scotto posed was how long Ball can see himself toiling away on a team that can't win even 20 games. How much longer is Ball going to wait to see a winning season and see a real playoff series?

It's worth noting that in the time since Scotto posed these questions, Ball has publicly said he does not want a trade and shut down all speculation. The Hornets also shut down speculation. A trade would be a dramatic reversal of course for both sides, but as Scotto said, it wouldn't be totally illogical.

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