The Charlotte Hornets have received a bold prediction for the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is less than a month away.
Are the Charlotte Hornets going to trade point guard LaMelo Ball? No one knows the exact answer to that question, but NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report is predicting that Charlotte will keep the one-time All-Star.
"Despite being well below .500 on the season, the Charlotte Hornets are outscoring opponents when Knueppel and Ball are both on the floor," Bailey wrote. "And it's easy to see why the duo works so well (especially when Miller is around too).
"For all the issues that can come with Ball's defense and shot selection, he's still one of the most creative and talented offensive creators in the league. He's 6'7", and he's incredibly productive. He commands a ton of attention in the middle of the floor. And if you flank him with one of the best shooters in the league (it's already safe to call Knueppel that), his exploits become even more dangerous.
"At the same time, Ball's ingenuity as a distributor obviously helps Knueppel too. There aren't many point guards in the league better equipped to take full advantage of Knueppel's off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot trigger. And the Hornets will give both a little more time to cultivate their chemistry."
Ball has played in 29 games this season. He's averaging 19.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game while shooting 41.3% from the field, 37.4% from beyond the arc and 87.8% from the free-throw line.
The Hornets are 14-25. They are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings and there are many people in the NBA who believe Charlotte should trade Ball and build the franchise around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.
However, the numbers show that the Hornets are better when Ball is on the floor alongside Knueppel and Miller, so it doesn't really make sense for Charlotte to trade its floor general.
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 7.4 assists per game, which are great numbers, but the Hornets are only 109-151 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 Miller and Knueppel.