A fan's plea ignites debate: can LaMelo Ball mature, or is it time for the Hornets to consider his future?
The Charlotte Hornets made progress this season, but didn't have the firepower to make the playoffs, losing 121-90 to the Orlando Magic in the Play-In Tournament on April 17.
Star LaMelo Ball finished with 23 points, two rebounds, and five assists. The loss came right after Ball received a fine from the NBA for his trip of Bam Adebayo in the Hornets' win over the Miami Heat.
Ball was also fined $25,000 for his unsavory comments in a postgame interview on Amazon Prime.
One Hornets fan appears to be done with Ball's antics. She wrote to the Charlotte Observer, urging the Hornets to tell Ball to mature or move on from the star player.
"Mr. Ball needs to grow up," wrote Stacey Brink. "After six years, the Hornets still can’t trust him to make good decisions and to do the right thing when it matters most. He still acts like a reckless teenager on and off the court.
"The Hornets need a team leader who wants to compete out of love of the game and love of the city. Mr. Ball needs to take time to think about his why. Why does he want to be a Hornet? If his reasons are for more celebrity, money, and power, then it is time to go."
Ball still has some maturing to do. He also needs to learn how to be a more lethal threat after the regular season.
Ball told reporters after the loss to the Magic that he intends to learn from what happened at the end of this season.
"You watch, you know what you did wrong," Ball said, via Bleacher Report. "Everybody, you're feeling a type of way after the game, for sure, that you obviously don't want to feel in the future.
"So it's just keep that burn right there, and just remember it, so you ain't got to go through it again."
Ball needs to grow on and off the court. At 24, Ball still has time to become a stable face of the franchise and lead the team to a long postseason run.
But fans want someone who better represents their city.