Should the Charlotte Hornets pull the trigger on this deal?
An NBA trade idea sending the Charlotte Hornets three players and one draft pick for LaMelo Ball has been created.
NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea:
Charlotte Hornets get: John Collins, Derrick Jones Jr., Cam Christie and a top-5 protected 2032 first-round pick
Los Angeles Clippers get: LaMelo Ball
Ball was born and raised in California. His father, LaVar, once said that his son would play for the Clippers one day.
Bailey created this trade idea after NBA insider Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that Ball is open to getting traded by the Hornets, who are 4-13.
The Clippers are 5-12 in the rugged Western Conference. They have the oldest team in the NBA, so acquiring a young talent like Ball could help the LAC.
"The Clippers could take a lot of pressure off James Harden and Kawhi Leonard by adding Ball," Bailey wrote. "They can offer the Hornets contracts that are shorter than LaMelo's, a first-round pick and maybe a young talent such as Yanic Konan Niederhäuser or Cam Christie. L.A. would also get a lot younger at the top of the roster. Ball just turned 24 this past offseason."
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 All-Star team during the 2021-22 season.
However, Charlotte is only 100-141 when Ball plays and the franchise hasn't had a winning record since the 2021-22 season.
The Hornets, who are 4-13 this season, haven't made the playoffs since 2016.
Ball has appeared in just 10 games this season. He's averaging 21.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game while shooting 39.3% overall, 28.6% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the foul line.
The Hornets signed Ball to a massive five-year, $203 million extension in 2023.
Ball, who doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract, is making $37.9 million this season.
A talented passer and scorer, Ball has career averages of 21.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game with the Hornets. It will be fascinating to see if Ball is traded this season.