Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball averaged a career-high 25.2 points in the 2024-25 season but failed to guide his team to the playoffs. As has been the case for most of his career, Ball’s season was marred by injuries, which forced the point guard to miss the second half of the season with ankle and wrist issues.
Ball’s inability to stay healthy has led some to believe the Hornets could trade him. In his season-ending press conference on April 14, Ball addressed those rumors.
“I know what I can do. Just being here is amazing,” the fifth-year guard said of his time in Charlotte. “Fans are amazing, the living situation is amazing, and everything’s been solid. All that ‘you need to leave,’ this and that, when you build something, it’s never just gonna pop off and be the best thing. You gotta stay there and work it out.”
Hornets Preach Patience With LaMelo Ball
Ball was also asked about many fans on social media urging him to play for a big-market team such as New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago rather than remain in Charlotte. He had a rather interesting response.
“I’m bothered if I don’t eat, if I ain’t got the meal, then I’ll call my people, and hopefully some food will come,” Ball said on whether the trade rumors bother him. “Bother means like stuff throughout the day. Like the dog pisses on the floor or something like that, that bothers me. Little stuff like that. But telling you to go somewhere or do this, nah. It can’t.”
As Ball alluded to, he’s committed to building a long-term culture with the Hornets. The Hornets, too, share a similar vision and are prepared to preach patience with the core of Ball, Brandon Miller, Tre Mann and Co.
Can Hornets Turn Things Around In 2025-26?
Hornets GM Jeff Peterson explained why the Hornets and Ball were both willing to build something together rather than skip steps.
“LaMelo is an incredible competitor, and he knows that in order for us to have the best chance to win and get to where we want to go, he has to be on the floor,” Peterson said in his exit interview. “We’re providing him [with] every resource, and again, he’s putting the time in and taking ownership in it. We’re happy the season is over in that regard and he’s able to ramp up and have a healthy start to the season next year.”
Ball appeared in only 47 games before undergoing medical procedures to fix issues with his right ankle and right wrist. Peterson expressed confidence that his franchise guard would be ready to go at the start of the 2025-26 season.
“LaMelo can be as good as he wants to be, and we’ve seen that,” the Hornets GM concluded.
In five seasons with the Hornets, Ball has averaged 21.0 points, 7.4 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. However, due to a slew of injuries, he has missed 169 of his team’s 400 possible games.
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Hornets Star LaMelo Ball Reacts to Trade Rumors