It has been three years since LaMelo Ball faced off against his older brother, Lonzo, on an NBA court. Injuries have stopped them from matching up, and all they can do for now is dap each other up after their teams' bout with either or both of them in street clothes.
That's what happened this December, as the Charlotte Hornets fell to the Chicago Bulls twice in the past two-and-a-half weeks. LaMelo Ball watched both losses from the sidelines before greeting and presumably congratulating his big bro, not just for the win but also for the 27-year-old vet's return from a lengthy layoff.
Interestingly, whenever the duo's respective squads meet, some folks try to bring up the possibility of LaVar Ball's children joining forces. It didn't help that the Ball patriarch teased at something big happening in Charlotte when he watched LaMelo play nearly a month ago.
Miles Bridges wants to see LaMelo and Lonzo duke it out
The Monday tiff between the Hornets and Bulls brought up the matter again, and Miles Bridges was asked about the Ball Bros in his postgame media appearance. According to the longtime Hornet, people want LaMelo and Lonzo to square up even if it doesn't seem like they dislike playing against each other. He also said, "Hopefully the next time we play the Bulls, they'll be able to play against each other."
So, that means Bridges doesn't believe the Hornets will trade for Lonzo Ball, as he spoke as if the Bulls point guard will still be with Chicago on January 17 when his crew visits the Windy City for the third bout in the regular-season series.
Perhaps the idea of having the Balls link up is just too far-fetched. Or maybe Bridges knows that trading for Lonzo might be too costly for Charlotte, as it would require the organization to part ways with at least two pieces to match salaries. The Bulls point guard's salary this campaign is $21.4 million.
Still, Lonzo Ball might be a good fit for a Hornets team in dire need of help in the playmaking department. The squad could even have him and LaMelo on the floor together, given that he has displayed the potential to be elite as a distributor and point-of-attack defender. Meanwhile, the 2022 All-Star can focus more on scoring, which has been one of his primary strengths this season.
However, considering that the former No. 2 overall pick will be a free agent in the offseason, the Hornets may also elect to wait until the summer to reel him in and pair him up with LaMelo Ball.