Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported on Thursday that LaMelo Ball has become “increasingly frustrated” with the Hornets and is open being traded to a new team. Iko, citing league sources, also wrote that Charlotte’s front office had grown “disillusioned” with the star point guard and was open to a deal as well.
NBA insider Jake Fischer has heard differently. In his latest Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), Fischer said he made several calls on Thursday regarding Ball’s situation with the Hornets, and while rival teams are “hoping” and “preparing” as though the 23-year-old may become available prior to the February 5 deadline, that is not currently the case.
“I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Hornets are not actively looking to move LaMelo Ball any time soon,” Fischer reported.
Fischer went on to say that several key members of the organization — including Ball, coaches and front office executives — want to get a better idea of what the team looks like when Brandon Miller returns to action before making any type of drastic changes.
“LaMelo Ball is not asking out, to my understanding,” Fischer said. “And the Hornets are not actively looking to trade him by any stretch right now.”
According to Fischer, Ball isn’t the only former All-Star point guard that rival teams are monitoring: Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Trae Young of the Hawks — both of whom are injured at the moment — fall into that category as well.
Fischer’s Stein Line colleague Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack story that the Hornets, Grizzlies and Hawks have each denied that they’re willing to listen to offers for their maximum-salary guards. Yet Stein also hears rival clubs are skeptical of that posturing and think that Ball, Morant and/or Young could indeed be on the market in the coming months.
Trade Miles Bridges, Josh Green and a pick for a starting PF and filler contracts
They need veterans
He gets injured every year, but I would be interested in what teams would actually want him. It wouldn’t be a vet contender as Lamelo has not won so banking on him to be a missing piece. It would need to be a team like Magic level.
Wishful thinking by other teams even more desperate than the ones that have them!
Nothing to see here!
Turnovers going up, field goal efficiency going down, injury prone…teams oughta pass
“Can’t”. Hornets can’t move Ball.
Hornets get a better coach than trade Lamelo begining in that way
maybe they should start actively looking?
I’d be devastated if Ball’s traded
Why, do you enjoy seeing him in his street clothes when he’s sitting courtside, injured 65% of the time?
gonna be an active trade deadline
It would be funny if the 3 teams just swapped their disgruntled pg for one of the other teams. Young to Charlotte or Memphis, Ball to Atlanta or Memphis, and Morant to Atlanta or Charlotte.
Hornets are a joke of a franchise…