Concern is starting to set in for the Charlotte Hornets.
The Charlotte Hornets are coming from a three-game losing streak that has been some of the most lopsided basketball the NBA has seen this season. Charlotte has failed to score over 100 points during the skid and has lost by a combined margin of 131 points.
Sitting at a record of 14-43, it's safe to say the Hornets' season is all but over. There obviously haven't been signs of a turnaround to the season, and the roster hasn't lived up to fans' hopeful expectations. The team's long years of struggles have left fans feeling trapped in an endless cycle of tanking for high draft picks, only to see those picks fail to live up to their potential
Charlotte's draft struggles
Over just the past eight seasons (to keep the article short), the Hornets have a list of bad draft decisions that have resulted in selecting the wrong player. In 2021, they selected James Bouknight with the No. 11 pick, passing on players like Alperen Sengun and Austin Reaves. In 2018, they took PJ Washington at No. 12, choosing him over future stars like Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole. In 2017, the team took Malik Monk at No. 11, passing on future All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Bam Adebayo.
These missed opportunities are difficult to process; the players the Hornets passed on have gone on to find all sorts of different kinds of success. From postseason production, All-Star selections, or even Olympic gold medals. Those accolades, however, are just a ghost on the Hornets' trophy shelf.
The Future of the Hornets
The Hornets' future remains unclear. With high odds of landing the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Hornets could look to trade LaMelo Ball as part of a rebuild. Ball, who signed a five-year deal worth up to $260 million in 2023, has been a central piece for the team since being drafted in 2020. However, he's missed 167 games during his time in the league due to ankle injuries, which have become a recurring issue.
Despite his potential, Ball's impact on the Hornets has been inconsistent. The team's best win total during his tenure was 43. This came in the 2021-2022 season, but Ball only led the team in assists and steals.
While Ball won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021, beating out other notable rookies at the time, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, and earned an All-Star selection in 2022, the real question remains: Is he the franchise player Charlotte is paying him to be?
A Possible Solution
The Hornets could possibly trade Ball to a contending team that doesn't need him to the top player, but rather a secondary piece. Allowing him to succeed without the weight of being the primary leader – a role he has yet to prove to Charlotte that he can handle in a way that leads to consistency and winning games.
Trading Ball could spark a much-needed change, providing an opportunity to rest and rebuild with fresh talent, especially with a chance of a high pick in this coming draft.
As the Hornets continue to spend their energy on the season ahead of them, it will be interesting to see what plan the team comes up with. Whether LaMelo Ball is a part of the plan or not.