The LaMelo Ball Trade Came at a Confusing Time

On more than a few occasions over the last two years, I reported that the Charlotte Hornets were shopping around guard LaMelo Ball, and people told me I was crazy.

I stand by my reporting, as it was apparent that President of Basketball Ops Jeff Peterson and Hornets leadership were tired of LaMelo's disappearing act during the regular season.

But then something interesting happened: The Hornets got good.

Last year, the team improved its record by 25 wins, making the play-in tournament in the process. Despite a loss, everything seemed onward and upward, and a trade for LaMelo seemed insane.

And yet it happened anyway, Thursday morning, with a move that left many fans puzzled. The Hornets shopped Ball, dealing him along with Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, and 2030), and three second-round picks.

Count me as confused.

Let's break it down, starting with Reid. At 6-9, he's another undersized center, and the Hornets already have one of those in Moussa Diabate, one of the most popular players on the team. Charlotte certainly needed a veteran big, but Reid doesn't seem like the solution.

That notwithstanding, a major part of this deal coming together was the apparent elevation of Coby White as the team's starting point guard, as shortly after the trade, came word that White was sticking around. White played well after joining Charlotte mid-season last year, but insiders I talked to on Thursday wondered if, as a nontraditional point guard, he had what it took to run the Hornets' offense.

And lastly, what about all those draft picks? Didn't the Hornets have enough of those to begin with? A pick in 2028 might help, but one in 2030? That's potentially a player who just finished his freshman year in high school this year. And that only comes into play if the Hornets finish lower than Minnesota in the draft order. Wasn't the narrative to add veteran presence? Maybe I missed something.

I digress. It's important here not to get ahead of ourselves. The summer is young, and so far, this ownership group has made plenty of solid moves to at least deserve a little of our trust. But without question, they're testing the fan base's patience to the max.

The LaMelo Ball era is over. A new era has dawned. Whether or not it's a good thing remains to be seen.

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