Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball's name has been in several NBA trade rumors.
Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has received a bold trade prediction with the 2026 NBA trade deadline coming soon.
NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Hornets will keep Ball.
Even though Ball's name has been in trade rumors this season, Bailey thinks Charlotte will keep the one-time All-Star for a couple of reasons.
"LaMelo Ball has spent plenty of time there, too. And though availability continues to be a major concern for him (and now Brandon Miller), the early returns on his minutes with Kon Knueppel have been good," Bailey wrote. "Despite being well below .500 on the season, the Charlotte Hornets are outscoring opponents when Knueppel and Ball are both on the floor. And it's easy to see why the duo works so well (especially when Miller is around too).
"For all the issues that can come with Ball's defense and shot selection, he's still one of the most creative and talented offensive creators in the league. He's 6'7", and he's incredibly productive. He commands a ton of attention in the middle of the floor. And if you flank him with one of the best shooters in the league (it's already safe to call Knueppel that), his exploits become even more dangerous.
"At the same time, Ball's ingenuity as a distributor obviously helps Knueppel too. There aren't many point guards in the league better equipped to take full advantage of Knueppel's off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot trigger. And the Hornets will give both a little more time to cultivate their chemistry."
Ball has appeared in 33 games this season. He's averaging 19.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from the field, 37.0% from beyond the arc and 88.4% from the free-throw line.
The Hornets are 16-27. They are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Ball and Co. are 3.5 games back of the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th spot.
A few months ago, many people around the NBA thought the Hornets would trade Ball and fully build around talented young forwards Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
However, Ball is playing well with Miller and Knueppel and the one-time All-Star is now expected to remain with Charlotte past the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
Ball is making $37.9 million this season. He signed a massive five-year, $203 million extension with the Hornets in 2023.
Barring a surprise turn of events, Ball is expected to remain with the Hornets for the rest of the season.
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