February was an eventful month for the Charlotte Hornets. They were one of the most active teams at the trade deadline and got involved in the first incident of a rescinded swap in the NBA since 2016 when the Detroit Pistons failed Donatas Motiejunas' physical, much like the Los Angeles Lakers did with Mark Williams.
It was also a month of futility for the Hornets, as they went just 2-11. Only the Philadelphia 76ers, who won one of 11 games in February, had it rougher in that four-week stretch.
Perhaps one of the most frustrating things that happened for Charlotte fans was LaMelo Ball's absence from the All-Star Game. Despite leading all Eastern Conference guards in fan voting, he got unfairly snubbed from being a starter, with media voting being a considerable reason behind the oversight. Making matters worse was the coaches not giving him enough votes to be an All-Star reserve and the league office choosing Trae Young as an injury replacement instead of Ball.
LaMelo Ball may one day be tired of all the losing
Earlier this year, I brought up how the All-Star voting results this season could come back to haunt the Hornets because the team's record could significantly impact Ball's candidacy. As it turned out, that was indeed the case.
Many folks were surprised not to see the 2021 Rookie of the Year miss out on the festivities based on his numbers and entertainment value. On the other hand, Charlotte's lowly status arguably prevented him from getting the nod to join the league's cream of the crop in San Francisco.
Unfortunately for Buzz City, the squad might be on a timer now with its franchise cornerstone. Not making it to the All-Star could be weighing heavily on the 23-year-old playmaker's mind. And according to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, he has been told that Ball wants to "win competitively."
The big question is if the Hornets are of the same mind.
While the organization dreams of building a sustainable contender, it's unclear if it intends to start being competitive by next season. Trading Williams away at the deadline for a package headlined by a future draft pick may indicate its willingness to practice a bit more patience in its rebuild. However, Ball, who will be suiting up for his sixth season in the 2025-26 campaign, might no longer have the luxury of waiting. It doesn't help that all the losing has had an effect on his All-Star status and even his reputation.
The coming offseason could play a huge part in his decision to remain a Hornet in the long term. If Charlotte can't find him another star to play with or at least bring in helpful roster pieces, it might have to start thinking of a future without LaMelo Ball.