Bill Simmons Not Panicking on Hornets' LaMelo Ball Trade After 4-7 Start

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is holding off on a verdict for the Charlotte Hornets and the LaMelo Ball trade, days after he said Charlotte was “in shambles” on his podcast.

HornetsReddit posted the newest clip at 7:04 a.m. ET Wednesday. In it, Simmons and co-host Rob Mahoney talk through the Hornets’ start. Hornets On SI’s Zach Roberts transcribed a longer version of the answer.

Simmons pointed to the 4-7 record.

“I’m not panicking with Charlotte... Everything went wrong. With that said, they’re only 4-7... I’m not going to admit defeat, and I don’t think anybody should take victory yet on the LaMelo trade. Let’s ride this out. Let’s talk in March,” Simmons said.

Mahoney’s argument was that the Hornets are getting the same kind of shots they got last season, but the looks are less open and are not falling.

“The dream of Brandon Miller as a primary offensive option is dying in real time,” Mahoney said. “I still really like him, but he’s clearly settling in as the 2nd or 3rd best player on a really good team. This kind of usage has not suited him.”

Simmons pushed back on that part. He brought up Jaylen Brown, saying Brown would have had similar trouble running a team in his fourth season. Charlotte had not intended to ask Miller to do it alone, he said.

Miller left the Boston game in the second quarter Nov. 6 and has been out since. His diagnosis was a right hip strain. Hornets coach Charles Lee provided a positive update Tuesday. Kon Knueppel strained his left hamstring again in his Nov. 4 season debut and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Coby White did not make his season debut until Nov. 2 because of a left calf strain.

HornetsReddit had shared a different Simmons clip Nov. 9. That time, the discussion concerned Ball in Minnesota and Naz Reid in Charlotte.

“LaMelo has been pretty good the last couple of games without Ant, and Charlotte’s in shambles,” Simmons said. “The Charlotte fans are going nuts about that trade now... because Naz Reid, whether you agree with the trade or not, doesn’t seem like he wants to be in Charlotte.”

Lee kept Reid on the bench for the second half of the Oct. 28 loss at Detroit, and Reid was back in the starting lineup two days later. After Monday’s game, Reid said he and Lee have “been fine” since then.

Reid had 25 points and 13 rebounds that night in a 124-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The win ended a six-game losing streak that began with the Detroit game.

The Hornets agreed on June 25 to send Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030, and second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033, The Associated Press reported. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the deal. The trade created a trade exception of nearly $41 million, and Charlotte agreed to a three-year, $74 million contract with White after it.

Ball had missed 141 games over the three seasons before last season, according to the AP.

In late June, Simmons said Minnesota made the deal to sell jerseys and win over young fans who play video games.

“I’m at A- or A for Charlotte,” Simmons said then. “I couldn’t believe the trade for Minnesota.”

Charlotte finished 44-38 last season and went 35-18 after Moussa Diabaté became a full-time starter on Dec. 23. The Hornets are ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Ball’s first game back at Spectrum Center with Minnesota is Feb. 15. Charlotte opens a four-game road trip at Phoenix at 9 p.m. ET Thursday.