Former star LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets has been given a strong prediction entering the new NBA season.
The Charlotte Hornets made a blockbuster trade this offseason, sending star guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ball, who was the face of the Hornets franchise for a long time, couldn't get the team over the hump in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte hasn't been able to make the playoffs with Ball as the leading man, and the franchise decided to make a change.
Now with the Timberwolves, Ball should have a strong chance to go after a title, playing alongside star Anthony Edwards. The duo of Ball and Edwards now creates one of the stronger backcourt pairings in the entire NBA, giving Minnesota hope for a title.
The Timberwolves have been able to see success with Edwards as their franchise player, with the team making two Western Conference Final appearances over the last three years. But the addition of Ball should help propel this unit even farther, with many believing he could be the missing piece.
NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor had some high praise for what Ball is going to bring to the Timberwolves this coming season.
"You have this just magnificent playmaker in LaMelo Ball, who is so creative, who pushes the ball ahead, who forces you to play fast. But he can also shoot at a really high level without the ball in his hands. He's active, he brings a contagious energy, and I think about the weaknesses of this Minnesota team in past years; sometimes things would become so stagnant, slow in the half-court. And I think with LaMelo, he just brightens this up…so I think with ANT, you're gonna see a guy who has developed and added layers to his game every year; you're gonna see a new layer this year," O'Connor said.
Ball excels at playmaking, while being able to generate his own shot on the floor as well. The star guard did this a lot with the Hornets, but now he will have another star playing next to him.
This could elevate not only Edwards' game, but also Ball. Ball has been able to get better each season in the NBA, finding different ways to impact the game on the floor.
If Ball and the Timberwolves can reach their full potential, Minnesota may have a real shot at winning the NBA Finals this season. But for now, it will be all about building chemistry on the floor, something that isn't always easy to do.
For the Hornets, they have their own young talent, and the organization feels good about where they are entering the new season. Charlotte isn't seen as a title contender, but they could easily be in line to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
