NBA Rumors: Another sign has emerged that could point to the Charlotte Hornets trading LaMelo Ball this offseason.
As the Charlotte Hornets continue to try to find the right foundation to build around, they could be entering an offseason with a few big questions on their hands. The argument could be made that every upcoming decision for the team will begin with whether LaMelo Ball is a player the team wants to build around moving forward. At least for now, it does seem as if there is real doubt surrounding the Hornets' confidence in Ball as a face-of-the-franchise type of player.
It's already been reported that the Hornets could explore the trade market for Ball this offseason. How strongly Charlotte will do so is the big question. However, if that were to happen, there are some whispers that Ball would not be totally opposed to it.
Plugged-in NBA reporter Michael Scotto notes that Ball wants to win and eventually wants to find himself in a winning situation. The question is, will that be in Charlotte or not? At least with everything that's been reported, it does seem as both the Hornets and Ball could be open to at least the idea of change from each other - a scenario that could end up working out in the long run for both sides. How soon that could come is what many rival executives across the league have to be looking out for.
What could the trade market look like for LaMelo Ball?
Attempting to predict what Ball's trade market will look like could be difficult and complicated. In theory, Ball is a very good player. How good he can be is the big question. But at 23 years old while averaging 26 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game, it's hard to view him as a negative asset. There are some questions about his overall offensive efficiency, but averaging 34 percent from 3 on nearly 12 attempts per contest is not disastrous.
I do believe that the biggest obstacle to trading Ball (if that's a path the Hornets want to go down) is going to revolve around his contract. Ball has four years left on his contract after this season and is due roughly $170 million. That's a huge investment for a player who may not be considered a lead player for a franchise. That is likely going to be the toughest sell for the Hornets in any trade talks involving Ball.
And maybe that's a reason why the Hornets may end up keeping Ball for now. I suspect the Hornets are going to explore Ball's trade market but aren't going to be desperate to move him. If a deal that makes sense comes across the table, Charlotte could pull the trigger. At this point, it's simply an option for the team heading into the offseason. I can't imagine it to be a priority just yet.