While Ball isn't currently for sale, teams around the NBA did their due diligence on him during and around Trade Deadline Day.
You may have remembered that earlier in the season, there was loads of speculation about LaMelo Ball’s future in Charlotte.
And to a point, the Hornets were wondering what Ball’s value was around the league, but it never got to the point where real negotiations were occurring.
Shortly after, there was a rumor floating around that Ball was increasingly growing frustrated with the direction the Hornets were going in – a rumor that Ball himself refuted.
However, that didn’t stop other teams from attempting to snag him.
Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves were attempting to find a pathway to land Ball, and pair him with superstar guard Anthony Edwards.
“I was told that they [Minnesota] checked in with Charlotte and trying to figure out a way to see if anything could materialize, but the Charlotte Hornets have been playing tremendous ball as of late.
“And I was told that General Manager with the Hornets, Jeff Peterson, he wants to give this core group time to gel and figure things out, that’s why he didn’t trade any members of the core. They want to see what they can accomplish through the duration of the season, and he feels like they’re owed that right.”
That “tremendous ball” that Haynes had alluded to is a result of a current eight-game winning streak that the Hornets have posted – the longest winning streak they’ve had since 1999.
It’s also crucial to keep Ball right where he is because Charlotte has found a weapon for a starting lineup.
When Ball is on the floor with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, the Bees hold an astounding 13-1 record.
Of course, a lot of this is pending on if Ball stays healthy.
He’s currently played the most consecutive games since his sophomore season, when he played a career-high 75 games. However, since then, he has yet to reach the 50-game mark in a season.
Currently, Ball is on a plan with head coach Charles Lee to begin backends of back-to-backs with Ball coming off the bench. And so far, it has worked like a charm, while it has drawn ire from NBA talking heads.
This season may make or break Ball’s status with the team come September, but for the time being, it seems like he’s not just a staple to the future of this team, but a foundational piece.