NBA insider says the quiet part out loud about 2025 Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets got 25 or more points from each of their big three in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel all scored well and shot efficiently in that game.

The very next game, against the East-leading Detroit Pistons, to be fair, the trio struggled mightily, and the Hornets lost. They combined for 41 points on 27.27% shooting. Therein lies the problem with these Hornets. They're talented, but they're also extremely inconsistent.

The Charlotte Hornets are @Sam_Vecenie's "favorite love/hate watch" in the NBA. 🙃

🎙️ "There are games like the Hawks game where you go, 'Oh my goodness, (LaMelo Ball) is clearly one of the 30 best players on planet Earth, and his talent just overrides everything we see.'

And… pic.twitter.com/uVkAbdfdk6
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) December 22, 2025

NBA insider Sam Vecenie just pointed this out, calling them his favorite "love/hate watch." He added, "There are games like the Hawks game where you go, 'Oh my goodness, (LaMelo Ball) is clearly one of the 30 best players on planet Earth, and his talent just overrides everything we see.'"

But that's not all. "And then you'll see games like the Pistons game where... I think that was the worst game I've seen a player who's made an All-Star team and is still in the prime of his career, in theory, play this year," Vecenie said of Ball's outing.

The point guard had eight points on 14 shots, six assists with four turnovers, two steals, two blocks, and six personal fouls. He was -27 in just 23 minutes of action.

Dec 20, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

His counterparts didn't do very well, either, but Ball is the most notable player on the roster, so his failings land front and center. Plus, he was definitely the worst of the three.

Ball has always been a little inconsistent. The shot comes and goes, although the shot attempts usually do not. He can shoot 10/16 one night, like he did against the Hawks, and follow it up with a 3/14 outing.

Kon Knueppel is usually able to avoid the lows like that, but even he shot 5/14, and Brandon Miller's shooting woes returned, too. Obviously, this isn't just a Ball problem. It's a Hornets problem.

Though not on a game-by-game basis like the Carolina Panthers just across the street, the Hornets have trouble stringing together good performances. They have yet to win three games in a row. They've had a string of three good games in a row, but it still didn't yield three wins.

In fact, that three-game stretch vs. the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, and Chicago Bulls was their best three-game run of the season, arguably, and they still went 1-2. It's been an up-and-down (mostly down) year, and while that's not entirely shocking, it is frustrating.

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