Lou Williams Has Serious Doubts About Hornets' Core Working Long-Term

Since the Hornets' key pieces have been healthy, they've become one of the most dangerous and efficient teams in the entire NBA. It may be a small sample size, but when LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabaté are in the starting lineup, the Bugs are 9-1. That's nothing to scoff at. It's time to take this bunch seriously, although not everyone will.

Former NBA guard Lou Williams is among the skeptics and even went as far as to say this group won't amount to much besides this little blip on the radar every now and then.

The Hornets are 9-1 when they start Ball, Knueppel, Miller, Bridges & Diabaté 👀📊

"LaMelo Ball is a starter... good call." - @ChandlerParsons

"I like those guys as individuals. I don't think this group works together for the long run." - @TeamLou23 @MichelleDBeadle pic.twitter.com/31rvrpSyvi
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 27, 2026

“I think I’m going to stay consistent in how I feel," Williams said when asked about what to make of the Hornets' surge. "I think they have a lot of good individual talent that some nights, like last night, it works. But most consistently, more nights than not, it doesn’t work. I think they got a lot of really good players. I like Brandon Miller. I love LaMelo Ball. I love what (Kon) Knueppel is doing. They have a lot of different guys that can win you a basketball game on a different night. They just haven’t been able to do it collectively together. Now, they are 9-1 when all five of those guys are in the starting lineup, but that’s ten games, and that’s still got them in the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference right now. I think this is a great quality win (vs. Philadelphia). Three straight wins is great for them, but it still hasn’t moved the needle to where they are in the standings. I like those guys as individuals. I don't think this group works together for the long run."

My question is, why? Why can't this group be successful in the long-term?

Jan 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) runs down the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Are we really going to make that assumption after just ten games together? I mean, Williams said the record himself, only to immediately dismiss it.

Just because Ball, Miller, and Bridges have each been in the organization for a minute now, that doesn't mean we already know how this is going to turn out. Ball and Miller have missed a boatload of time in recent years, which has prevented us from knowing what the true ceiling of this group is or can be. The only stretch we have to evaluate is this ten-game (and counting) one that we're witnessing right now.

And yeah, Lou, if Ball and Miller didn't miss as much time as they did at the beginning of the season, they wouldn't be sitting in 12th place. That's pretty obvious at this point. And what does he mean by they haven't been able to do it collectively together? How many nights have we seen the trio or the big three AND Miles Bridges finish with 18+ points? There's a reason why all of them are averaging north of that number for the season. It's rarely ever just been one guy doing most of the damage.

This just feels like someone who'd like to see the Hornets blow it up and send LaMelo to a big market, if we're being honest. And Lou Williams isn't the only one. There's so much talk STILL about LaMelo Ball being a potential trade chip by those who don't cover the team on a daily basis. Why is that? He's not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, Charles Barkley may be the only former NBA player I've seen who has publicly expressed his optimism for this group, and even he took a slight shot at them the other day when playing a matinee against the Wizards.

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