The Charlotte Hornets got a brutal 2026-27 season projection from ESPN after trading LaMelo Ball.
ESPN gave the Charlotte Hornets a brutal 2026-27 projection after the franchise traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Hornets, who went 44-38 last season and missed the playoffs by just one game, are projected to go 34-48 next season by ESPN.
Charlotte traded Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks.
The Hornets never made the playoffs in the Ball era. Ball played in 303 games with Charlotte. He averaged 20.8 points and 7.3 assists per game and made one All-Star team (2022).
Ball, 24, also won the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year Award.
Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are now the faces of Charlotte's franchise in the post-Ball era. Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Jeff Peterson told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he was comfortable trading Ball because of Miller and Knueppel.
"I’m very comfortable," Peterson said. "[Hornets head coach] Charles [Lee] and I had a conversation with both of them knowing that these trades can be challenging. Sometimes I do think we forget that we’re human beings dealing with this stuff — lives and its emotions. Those guys are friends and they are in the locker room every day. At the same time, Charles and I kind of explained, We believe in you guys, too. You guys are here. We want to continue to see you guys grow. This is going to challenge you guys. You guys got to continue to get better.' We wouldn’t have made that trade if we didn’t feel comfortable with what they can continue to be developing into."
The Hornets are expected to start Coby White, Miller, Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabate next season. If ESPN is right and Charlotte finishes under .500, Peterson will be under fire for trading Ball.
Charlotte hasn't made the playoffs since 2016. Unless Miller and Knueppel play like All-Stars next season, the Hornets will likely miss the postseason again in 2027.
