LaMelo Ball's trade value has seemingly surged

For years, the Charlotte Hornets have been urged to trade LaMelo Ball. The reasons varied. Sometimes, it was because Ball wasn't a winning player and the Hornets needed a better leader. Others, it was because good teams needed help. Even a few other times, it was because the Hornets just needed to stockpile assets.

Well, those calls haven't exactly tapered off, even as Ball is off to a hot (if slightly unhealthy) start this year. In fact, they might begin to increase. According to ESPN, one executive believes Ball is more valuable than Trae Young and Ja Morant, two guards who've also had trade rumors swirl.

"If you're asking me if Trae, Ja and LaMelo all came onto the trade market tomorrow, I think LaMelo would have the best market," the executive said. "But that's all hypothetical right now." It's very hypothetical because the Hornets aren't likely to move him. But should they?

Should the Hornets move on from LaMelo Ball?

Now might be the best time to move on from LaMelo Ball if the Hornets do want to do that. He's playing very well, showcasing that he can win when surrounded by competent, NBA-level teammates. Other teams have surely taken note.

But even still, with Brandon Miller hurt, the Hornets are floundering a bit. They're better than they were in 2024-25, but they're still not a "good" basketball team. Trading Ball would give them ample assets to become that, and they can build with Miller and Kon Knueppel.

Despite all that, the Hornets should still not trade Ball. For evidence of what he means, look no further than last time out. They faced a winless New Orleans Pelicans team without Zion Williamson and lost. They went 3:21 without a bucket to close the contest, allowing the Pelicans to come back and win.

With Ball in there, that doesn't happen. He's still the engine, no matter how much alternative talent the team has accumulated. Plus, this goes beyond basketball. It's no secret that Ball is a fan favorite, but he, being a Ball brother and having been a reality TV star of sorts, has his own fanbase.

The Hornets, with all due respect, have done very little over the last 10 years to justify the devotion the fans give them, and by trading Ball, they would hurt those fans and alienate the ones that only support Ball. It would really hurt them in a lot of different ways, not to mention their on-court performance.

But regardless, the right price can absolve those sins. If the Hornets got a major haul and set themselves up really well for the future, it might be worth it. It just doesn't seem like that's in the cards.

"It's hard to build a winner with him because of how he plays, and the liberties he takes for himself when he plays," a Western Conference scout said. "Would someone take a flier on him? For sure. But Charlotte isn't taking a flier price for him." And for that reason, the Hornets should be out on trading Ball.

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