Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is eligible to sign a $119.9 million extension this offseason.
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has two years remaining on his contract and is eligible to extend for three years, $119.9 million after the NBA Finals, per Bobby Marks of ESPN.
The Hornets signed Ball to a five-year, $203 million extension in 2023. Ball will make $40,770,520 next season, $43,582,280 in 2027-28 and $46,394,040 in 2028-29.
Ball played in 72 games for the Hornets this season. He averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 89.9% from the free-throw line.
Former NBA executive and current analyst for The Athletic, John Hollinger, believes Ball should be considered "a candidate for Third-Team All-NBA." Ball led the NBA in offensive rating since the All-Star break.
"I haven’t heard him get a lot of shine for end-of-season honors, but Ball has played enough games to be eligible (!) and should be a candidate for Third-Team All-NBA," Hollinger wrote.
Ball finished the 2025-26 season seventh in the NBA in total assists and ninth in assists per game. During an interview with Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Hornets exec Jeff Peterson spoke about Ball's seriousness. Many people don't realize that Ball had a very productive 2025 summer.
“We’ve got to give credit to LaMelo himself,” Peterson said, “because ever since I’ve been here, he’s been serious. I know last year he got banged up and just couldn’t finish the season. But even this summer, he took it extremely seriously, in terms of being in the weight room constantly. He put on 10 to 12 extra pounds of muscle, which helps. “It’s certainly going to help in the playoffs once we get there and all, just because the game becomes more physical, it slows down. Teams know LaMelo is the head of the snake, so if we get him frustrated or whatever it may be. ... So again, I’ll go back to the work that he put in this summer and then just being extra diligent with his rehab.”
The Hornets didn't make the playoffs this season, but they have a bright future with Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel leading the way.
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