By now, many Charlotte Hornets fans are likely aware that LaMelo Ball led the league in usage rate last season with 35.9 percent. While that in itself isn't so bad, the fact that he did so without securing an All-NBA selection has concerned Zach Kram of ESPN. The sports scribe pointed out that 19 of the 22 players to ever log a heavier workload made an All-NBA team.
Making matters worse is that the Hornets star's PER of 19.1 was the worst for any player to finish with a usage rate of at least 35.0 percent in a campaign. After compounding those stats with Ball's frequent absences due to injuries, Kram questioned whether Charlotte should continue building around him or if he is nothing more than a "ball-dominant entertainer who doesn't win games."
That may be a harsh assessment, although it's not entirely invalid.
Ball has yet to show that he can stay on the court much more often than on the sidelines and that he can be a serious basketball player consistently. Hopefully, he can prove his detractors wrong this season by becoming a more effective playmaker and shedding his shot-chucking reputation.
With the way the Hornets' roster has been constructed, their fate highly depends on whether he can make headway in his journey to becoming one of the NBA's cream of the crop.
LaMelo Ball and Hornets are on the clock
Although no one from Ball or the franchise has indicated that their partnership will dissolve in the near future, such an outcome remains possible if things don't go their way.
For instance, the Hornets might opt to switch it up and move on from their cornerstone if Ball cannot stay healthy or cannot fix what's wrong with his game. On the other hand, the 23-year-old point guard could also walk out the door if he doesn't believe in the front office's capability of supplying him with a more competent roster. What if he holds it against them if the decision not to look for a different kind of reinforcement at center and the frontcourt in general results in a lack of significant improvement in the standings?
So, a lot may be riding on the 2025-26 campaign for Ball and Charlotte. To be fair, the organization deserves credit for bringing in several guys who can help him shift from being a high-usage player to an advanced stat darling. Even so, it's unfair to expect the Hornets to transform into a playoff contender overnight. But if they don't make any progress toward that objective, some tough conversations may need to be had next summer.