Nov 5, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

ESPN insider sees two possible outcomes for LaMelo Ball's Hornets future

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets are sticking by LaMelo Ball right now. He's their franchise player despite calls for him to be traded by the media and some fans. He wants to stay, and they want to keep him. That may not be the case forever, though.

At some point, especially if Ball cannot stay healthy, the Hornets will have to make a tough decision. And even now, it's worth internally discussing how long they can wait. It's not a decision that has to be made now, but how many more injury-riddled seasons can they stomach?

ESPN insider Tim McMahon believes the number is not all that high. The Hornets need to find a path forward, and he believes that comes down to two outcomes for Ball in the future. Either he's healthy, or he's gone.

️ @TimBontemps: "If we're back here talking about the Charlotte Hornets next summer, and (LaMelo Ball)'s played 40-50 games again, then we're just in the Zion Williamson territory with him going forward, and then you can't do anything with your team..." pic.twitter.com/FqnbJNRzkm
— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) September 9, 2025

McMahon said, "The Hornets are a team searching for a direction. He has to be either on the floor, or in a trade for this team to find their direction." That gives the Hornets two options: Either get a healthy season out of Ball, or move on and find someone they can build around who can stay on the floor.

That could be Brandon Miller. It could also be Kon Knueppel, though he projects as a role player and not a franchise star. Maybe it's AJ Dybantsa or Cam Boozer in the 2026 NBA Draft. Either way, the Hornets need a leader who can stay on the floor.

So far, Ball has had trouble doing that. He's their best player when on the court, but that happens seldom enough that it's been problematic. If that continues in 2025-26, it's fair to wonder if it will ever cease. And if it doesn't, then the Hornets can't ever expect to be good. Just ask the New Orleans Pelicans from 2019 on.

Zion Williamson is, like Ball, a supremely talented and effective NBA player when he's healthy. He just, also like Ball, has not been. The Hornets would like to avoid being the Pelicans, so a day is coming, according to McMahon, when Ball has to get healthy or get put on a new team.