The Hornets have been urged to make a seismic move "that could finally put them over the hump in the future."

James Dator of SB Nation believes the Charlotte needs to trade All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball.

"There’s no doubt that the recent history of the Hornets have been defined by LaMelo Ball, but their future isn’t," Dator wrote. "This is fast entering a new era where Knueppel and Miller can be the stars, with Bridges and Kalkbrenner being third and fourth options. It might be a hard pill to swallow for the Hornets to trade away their best player right now, but it’s a move that could finally put them over the hump in the future."

The Hornets drafted Ball with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Ball won the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year Award and made the 2022 All-Star team.

However, Charlotte has only had one winning record in the Ball era and Ball has never played in more than 75 games in a season. 

The Hornets haven't made the playoffs since 2016. They will probably miss the postseason again this season. 

Ball is making $37.9 million this season. He's currently out with an ankle injury. The talented guard is averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game while shooting 43.0% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 81.5% from the free-throw line.

The Hornets signed Ball to a five-year, $203 million extension in 2023. As of now, no rumors are stating that Charlotte is looking to trade Ball, who doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract.

Ball has played in 237 games with the Hornets. He's averaging 21.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. 

Ball is a talented scorer and passer, but his style of play and approach to the game continue to be questioned. 

"If Ball went to an established team of veteran scorers it would likely reduce the pressure he feels to be the star player, whereas in Charlotte he’s bizarrely become the veteran in the room on such a young roster," Dator wrote. 

It will be very interesting to see if Ball is still on the Hornets after the February trade deadline.