The Charlotte Hornets may have had an amazing offseason, but many people are still unconvinced that they are a playoff team. In fact, Tim Bontemps and Kevin Pelton of ESPN put it out there that Charlotte should be "all-in" on getting another high draft pick next summer. Suggesting that the team should tank may not sit well with LaMelo Ball, though.
The sportswriters' idea runs contrary to the belief that the Hornets can compete for a spot in the Play-In Tournament in 2026. To be fair, Bontemps and Pelton think Buzz City is the most likely to be the only contender among the four squads they categorized that should look to secure great positioning in the 2026 draft. The other three are the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards.
However, with Ball already entering the second year of his first max contract, he might think it's ripe for him and the Hornets to experience what it's like to be contenders. He has already been disrespected enough. Some pundits label him as an empty-stats star, brushing off the fact that the supporting cast he has been surrounded with has not exactly been stellar. Melo's injuries have also been massive hurdles, although he has to take some responsibility for that in some way.
Still, we cannot discount the possibility that Ball might finally get a clean bill of health this year, Brandon Miller could make the leap while also overcoming his own injury issues, and the club's rookie class may fare much better than expected.
Riding on LaMelo Ball has been a double-edged sword for Hornets
If Charlotte decides that acquiring another top draft selection is requisite to its plans of becoming a sustainable contender, Ball might end up disappointed.
He is entering his sixth year in the league and has yet to be named to an All-NBA squad, unlike his draft classmates Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton. It's also worth noting that both his rivals have reached the conference finals twice, while the farthest he has gone in a season is the first leg of the Play-In Tournament.
Of course, the Hornets also need a healthy Ball to succeed, and given the nature of his injuries, they have to endure the risk of having to play a significant number of games with the start listed on the injury report.
Hopefully, things work out well for the organization and its cornerstone, as it has been quite a while since Charlotte had a taste of the playoffs. And setting foot on that stage is the only way for Ball to send the message that he is serious about winning across the league.