Mar 12, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

Why 2025-26 is not a make-or-break year for LaMelo Ball in Charlotte despite all the noise

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 10:59 AM ET

Injuries, injuries, injuries. That's been the story of the first five years of LaMelo Ball's career in the NBA. It's been one thing after another and just when you think he's about to turn the corner and stay on the floor, something pops up, usually something to do with his ankles.

At some point, the Hornets are going to be faced with a tough decision with their franchise guard, but is it going to be next summer? Earlier this offseason, I thought that would be the case, but not so much now.

In Jeff Peterson's eyes, this thing is still quite a bit away from being a true contender in the East. Yes, they have some building blocks in place, but their top three guys — Melo (23), Brand Miller (22), and Kon Knueppel (20) — are nowhere near entering their prime years. Plus, they haven't played very much basketball together. Of course, Kon is new, and Ball and Miller have only played in 39 games together.

That's not nearly enough data to make a move now, which is why they haven't. Another season, even if healthy, still isn't quite enough, considering it would be the first with this trio. You can't give up on something before you even know what you have.

The other part of this is Ball's trade value. As talented as he is, the Hornets won't get the type of return they believe LaMelo is worth, especially if he misses extended time this upcoming season. He's under contract through the 2028-29 season and will have a cap hit of $40M+ each year beginning in 2026-27.

There's not a single GM out there who will be willing to take on that contract with heightened injury concerns.

So, what if he does stay on the court, you may ask? Well, then that likely means the Hornets were able to take a step toward competitive basketball, and Peterson now has an idea as to what pieces need to be added to the equation to get them over the hump.

The Hornets are playing the long game with this rebuild, and the same goes for LaMelo Ball's health. They're betting over time, he's going to be on the court and help this franchise get back to the postseason. 2025-26 will be crucial for the franchise as a whole, but it's not necessarily a make-or-break campaign for LaMelo.