With the Charlotte Hornets in a good place right now, they likely aren't trading LaMelo Ball anytime soon. Of course, that could change if things surprisingly go south for the franchise. If they want to move on from their current centerpiece, though, they could immediately find a replacement in the 2026 draft.
A look at this year's draft class shows that there are potential high-level playmakers who could take over from Ball. In FanSided.com's 2026 NBA Draft big board, there are six point guard prospects in the lottery selection range, where the Hornets' own first-round pick is expected to land in the draft order.
A peek at the Hornets' possible choices
Naturally, the franchise and its fans would rather land a top-three draft pick, where any of Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and AJ Dybantsa could be available. Even the No. 4 selection would be great for the Hornets, as Caleb Wilson could be the solution they need at power forward.
However, if they land later in the first round, some of the options they could look at include Kingston Flemings, Mikel Brown Jr., Labaron Philon Jr., Bennett Stirtz, Tyler Tanner, and Darius Acuff Jr.
A mock draft from FanSided.com, where Charlotte held the No. 8 pick, saw the team taking a flyer on Philon Jr. We've also had an in-depth look at Brown Jr. and how he fits well with the current core minus Ball. The other guards mentioned could, in their own ways, help the Hornets.
What if the squad does secure another top-four selection? It could still opt to bring in whoever is available from Boozer, Peterson, Dybantsa, and Wilson, and then use its other first-round pick (the least favorable among the first-rounders of the Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards) to pick up a PG. Christian Anderson, Keaton Wagler, and Braden Smith could be worth a look.
What of Ball's future in Charlotte?
All these discussions are predicated on the Hornets deciding that trading Ball by this year's trade deadline or in the coming offseason is their best course of action.
It's hard to imagine the front office taking that route after the star has proven capable of helming a top-ranked offense in the past month. Perhaps what's more stunning during their recent impressive stretch is that they have been lighting up the scoreboard even with Melo's playing time currently being restricted. What if he is finally given a clean bill of health, and his co-stars and the rest of the supporting cast could avoid the injury curse?
But even if that's the case, Charlotte can still target another point guard in the draft — not as a replacement for Ball but as an understudy and eventually running mate. It has already become clear how the team's offense stumbles significantly whenever he is on the bench. Finding another guy who can reliably initiate the offense should be a priority this summer for Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee.
In addition, it would be fascinating to see how well Ball can thrive as an off-ball threat, given his floor-spacing abilities and high IQ.
So, whether or not the Hornets decide to ship Ball somewhere else in the coming weeks or months, the 2026 draft class featuring plenty of point guards should bode well for the franchise.