The Charlotte Hornets may already know what they are doing with LaMelo Ball.
Heading into the 2025-26 NBA campaign, the biggest question for the Charlotte Hornets was whether or not LaMelo Ball would stay healthy.
Well, Ball has already failed in that department, at least early on in the season. The former No. 3 overall pick has missed six games with more ankle issues, this after undergoing ankle surgery last year.
Ball is on five-year, $204 million contract with the Hornets that runs through 2029, so it's not like his deal is expiring anytime soon. It also makes him rather difficult to trade.
That being said, it's becoming more and more clear that Ball is unfortunately not someone can rely upon for the future.
It goes beyond injuries, too. The biggest issue otherwise? Ball's efficiency.
Last season, Ball averaged 25.2 points per game over 47 contests, but he did it on 40.5/33.9/84.3 shooting splits. This year, he is registering 22 points per game on very similar 40.5/31.5/84.6 splits.
That's a true shooting percentage of 53.3 percent, and it simply is not going to get it done for a player making $40 million annually specifically for his offense.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images.While Ball has the physical archetype of a good defender, defense is far from his strong suit. He is simply not adept on that end of the floor, so in order for him to live up to that contract, he must be an incredibly effective offensive contributor.
That has not been the case for Ball, who has only posted a true shooting percentage of 55 percent or better twice since entering the league in 2020-21.
Couple that with Ball's inability to stay on the floor, and it becomes very difficult to see a legitimate long-term future for the 24-year-old in Charlotte.
It's a shame because Ball is immensely talented. He is one of the most gifted guards in basketball, and had it not been for his constant injury woes, perhaps none of this would be an issue. But it is, and it could get in the way of the development of the Hornets' youngsters moving forward.
The question is, can the Hornets actually unload Ball? He has never been on a winning team before, so we really don't know how his game would translate on to a contender. Charlotte might also have to eat a fair chunk of that money — or attach draft picks — in order to move him.
There has already been trade speculation surrounding Ball in the beginning stages of the campaign, so expect things to heat up between now and the February trade deadline.