Golden State Warriors legend Draymond Green called out the Charlotte Hornets.
Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green has accused the Charlotte Hornets of tanking.
Green doesn't understand why star point guard LaMelo Ball is coming off the bench sometimes for the Hornets, who are only 16-27.
"The Charlotte Hornets are a team that is tanking right in your face in plain sight," Green said. "The fact they have LaMelo Ball coming off the bench, I find very interesting. They are a much worse team and so easy to guard when LaMelo is not on the floor
"Also when you look at this team, trade deadlines coming up. They're gonna have some pieces they move, that's just the nature of sorry teams."
Ball has played 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 Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers have been linked to Ball, who doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract. The one-time All-Star is making $37.9 million this season. He signed a lucrative five-year, $203 million extension with the Hornets in 2023.
Ball was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He's never been to the playoffs and has had just one winning season. The California native holds career averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
Green's Warriors actually could have selected Ball in 2020. However, Golden State took James Wiseman instead. That wound up being a poor pick, as Wiseman has been in and out of the NBA.
It will be fascinating to see if Ball gets traded this season. The 2026 NBA trade deadline is next month and many people who cover the NBA believe the Hornets should move Ball and Miles Bridges to create more shots for Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Charlotte is only 111-153 when Ball plays. While Ball is a talented player, he hasn't led the Hornets to enough wins and has dealt with multiple injuries.
With that said, it wouldn't surprise pundits if Charlotte decided to end the Ball era soon.
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