The Charlotte Hornets opened the season battered and shorthanded, cycling through injuries and clawing for any win they could manage with a depleted rotation. The outlook was bleak, and LaMelo Ball trade chatter was growing louder by the week. Yet as the 2025–26 campaign reaches its midpoint, the narrative has shifted. Charlotte has won four of its last seven games, led by LaMelo, who's injected a sense of momentum that felt impossible just a month ago.
Ball is finally healthy, and his impact has been undeniable. He just guided the Hornets to a convincing win on the road against the Lakers, a reminder of how much he truly elevates this roster. In the franchise’s current state, any realistic path toward contention runs directly through Ball.
January has made that crystal clear: when he’s on the floor, Charlotte is a great team. The Hornets were barely treading water without him, but climbing from a lottery team to a legitimate playoff push simply isn’t possible unless Ball is leading the charge.
Best offense in the NBA?
Don't look now, but over the past 10 games, the Hornets have a 123.4 offensive rating, which is ranked first in the league. Over that same stretch, they are shooting 40.1 percent from beyond the arc, good for second in the league.
LaMelo's superstar play has vaulted this offense into arguably the best in the league. It's night and day when he's on the floor vs. when he's not. Per Cleaning the Glass, Ball's plus-11.2 on/off differential on offense ranks in the 97th percentile in the league. The Hornets are unquestionably a better team with him on the floor, especially when he's steering an offense that isn't so heliocentric. He's able to initiate the offense at half-court with elite vision.
The core four
LaMelo has been shooting the ball better, but there is finally scoring talent around him now. The Hornets' core four of Ball, Miller, Knueppel, and Bridges have combined for at least 100 points on a seemingly nightly basis. I don't want to be quick to say we are witnessing a new dynasty, but everything is pointing in the right direction despite some narrow losses.
Even with Ball's awkward minutes allotment and future reinjury concerns, you've seen the ceiling of this team when healthy. The Hornets are rolling, yet that roll will come to an immediate halt if LaMelo is not on the floor orchestrating this offense. At this point, the "Trade LaMelo" narrative should be put to rest until further notice.
LaMelo is operating at a level that goes beyond elite right now, and with the way he’s playing, a play‑in berth should be the minimum expectation. Hornets fans are desperate to see this group tested under the bright lights of postseason basketball.
The defense on some nights is still a question mark, as it gets exposed in ways that make Charlotte’s flaws impossible to ignore. Even so, a LaMelo‑driven offense firing on all cylinders gives this team a chance to make a real run to the playoffs.