Why did Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball come off the bench against the Indiana Pacers?
A strange thing happened in the Charlotte Hornets-Indiana Pacers game.
All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season.
Ball played very well against the Pacers, finishing with 33 points and eight assists while shooting 12-of-24 from the field and 7-of-15 from the free-throw line.
However, the Hornets lost to the Pacers by a final score of 114-112.
After the game, Ball spoke to reporters about coming off the bench.
"I didn't start today so I could finish the back end," Ball said. "Me and the coaches all talked, had convos, meetings and go from there."
According to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, the Hornets and Ball are trying to get creative and want to maximize his availability on back-to-backs, which is why Ball came off the bench against the Pacers.
On the season, Ball is averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 41.3% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the free-throw line. He leads the Hornets in points per game.
Charlotte is 13-25 on the season. They are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Ball is making $37.9 million this season. He signed a massive five-year, $203 million extension with the Hornets in 2023.
Ball was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. The Hornets are only 108-151 when Ball plays. They haven't made the playoffs since 2016 and have had just one winning season since drafting LaMelo.
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is next month. It will be fascinating to see if the Hornets trade Ball or keep him next to Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Ball has been linked to the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers in trade rumors. The guard doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract, preventing him from controlling his future.
Most people around the NBA believe the Hornets should trade Ball and Miles Bridges and fully build the franchise around Miller and Knueppel. Let's see what happens.