One NBA analyst doesn't believe the Charlotte Hornets will regret trading LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.
It's a new era for the Charlotte Hornets, who traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns this summer.
There are some who believe the Hornets will regret parting ways with Ball and Bridges.
NBA analyst Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report is NOT in that camp. Here's why:
"The Hornets had a wholly ridiculous January to April stretch in which they went 33-16 with the league's best net rating (plus-10.5). But they just snatched the wind from their own sails by jettisoning two key contributors (LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges) in offseason trades.
"And guess what? It was the right call. Ball, a walking injury risk with less-than-stellar play-style reviews, brought back Naz Reid, an unprotected first-round pick, three first-round swaps and three second-round picks. Bridges, a volume scorer with a lot of hollow stats, somehow delivered an unprotected future first. The value was impossible to pass up, and they can now grow a more accommodating and sustainable core around cornerstones Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller."
The Hornets are expected to start Coby White, Miller, Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabate and use Schroder, Allen, O’Neale, Grant Williams, Steinbach and Ryan Kalkbrenner as their primary bench players next season.
Some Charlotte fans weren't happy with the Ball trade, but Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Jeff Peterson told Marc J. Spears of Andscape he was comfortable trading Ball because of Miller and Knueppel.
With Ball gone, Miller and Knueppel will see increased usage rates offensively.
"I’m very comfortable," Peterson said. "Charles and I had a conversation with both of them knowing that these trades can be challenging. Sometimes I do think we forget that we’re human beings dealing with this stuff — lives and its emotions. Those guys are friends and they are in the locker room every day. At the same time, Charles and I kind of explained, We believe in you guys, too. You guys are here. We want to continue to see you guys grow. This is going to challenge you guys. You guys got to continue to get better.' We wouldn’t have made that trade if we didn’t feel comfortable with what they can continue to be developing into."
The Hornets never made the playoffs in the Ball-Bridges era. It will be fascinating to see if Charlotte makes the playoffs next season with White, Miller, Knueppel and Reid leading the way.
Charlotte opens the 2026-27 season on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. The home opener is against the Atlanta Hawks.
