Mar 3, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during pregame warm ups against the Golden State Warriors at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

LaMelo Ball trade rumors won't end until the Hornets start winning

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 10:08 AM ET

It seems like we get new LaMelo Ball trade rumors all the time. The Charlotte Hornets have never once indicated they want anything but more seasons with him, and Ball has even said he doesn't want to be traded.

"But what if?" the basketball world seems to ask itself all the time. The Hornets said last season they would not be shopping Ball, but some executives reportedly said they'd keep their eye on the situation anyway.

They never seem to end, and unfortunately, they're not going to end until the Hornets become a solid, competitive team.

When will the nonsense LaMelo Ball trade rumors die off?

This phenomenon is not necessarily unique to LaMelo Ball. It happens to most notable players on perpetually bad teams, although Ball might be the most notable and the Hornets one of the most perpetually bad NBA teams right now.

The only way to convince anyone that the Hornets should keep Ball and that he should want to stay is if wins start piling up. If they don't win, then the partnership is clearly not working (at least that's how the situation appears to people who don't watch every Hornets game). If they do win, then there'd be no reason for either side to want to break up.

So until that happens, Ball to (insert NBA team here) trade rumors won't end. Fortunately, it looks like the Hornets are beginning to turn a competitive corner here, so they should start winning a little more soon.

On a side note, the Ball trade rumors never quite made much sense. The general NBA media perception of the player is that he's the epitome of empty calories. He doesn't, according to them, impact winning, and his unique style of play wouldn't work on a serious, competitive team.

Yet, the same NBA media mocks him in trades to winning teams all the time, namely the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. He's been featured in mock trades to countless teams, all of them pretty good teams who are serious about winning. So which is it? Is Ball an impactless player who can't help winning teams or is he the missing piece these squads need to take them over the top?

As the Hornets continue to improve and rebuild, I believe the former notion will be disproven pretty quickly.