Will the Charlotte Hornets trade LaMelo Ball or not? Unfortunately, for those who want to see him stay with the franchise for a long time, that question might continue to haunt the Hive for a while. The star has expressed his desire to remain with the team and see through what he helped start.
However, the team has already shown a willingness to break up the core if the right deal comes along. And because Ball was inherited by the front office led by Jeff Peterson, there isn't any assurance that the California native will remain with Charlotte beyond this offseason.
Several franchises might express interest in acquiring Ball, especially those seeking a starting point guard. Interestingly, an intriguing suitor could emerge once the trade market opens.
A Western Conference squad is looking for a point guard
The Sacramento Kings are under new management, with Scott Perry taking over as the general manager. One of his first orders of business is addressing their point guard woes.
He didn't specify any trade target, but it makes sense for the Kings to explore acquiring Ball. The thing is, the organization already had two All-Star-caliber at some point recently. However, it traded Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers three years ago in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. Then, it let go of De'Aaron Fox midway into the 2024-25 campaign, shipping him to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal that landed Zach LaVine in Sacramento.
Would Ball be on the Kings' radar this summer? Only time will tell. They might have the assets, though, that could have Charlotte considering picking up if they make a call to inquire about the 2021 Rookie of the Year.
If the Hornets make their star available, they should probably seek a package that consists of at least three first-round picks and a promising youngster.
Sactown appears to have such pieces, as it still has all its first-round picks from 2027 onwards. The Kings might be able to hold onto their 2026 first-rounder if they land within the top 10 in the 2025 draft. Otherwise, they would send the 2026 pick to the Atlanta Hawks. On the other hand, they have additional first-rounders in 2027 and 2031, courtesy of the Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively.
Charlotte could then also ask for Keegan Murray, a two-way stud who is still only 24 years old, and probably Jake LaRavia, a potentially solid 3-and-D forward, who would be included via sign-and-trade. Due to Ball's enormous contract, Sacramento might have to add DeMar DeRozan to the package, and the Hornets could reroute him to a contender in exchange for more assets.
Some might say that Buzz City should ask for Sabonis in a swap for Melo. However, the three-time All-Star doesn't look like he could raise the squad's ceiling. Moreover, he doesn't fit the timeline of what would be left of the Hornets' core pieces.
Of course, these are all just conjectures. The ideal route for Charlotte would still be to stick with Ball. But if a godfather offer comes its way, refusing might be the more difficult option.