LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets have made it clear there is no truth to the rumor of a breakup in the near future. If that is indeed the case, it only means the Hornets have a short window to transition from rebuilding to contending. So, it's time for them to address the major roster flaws, including the lack of a starting power forward and a backup playmaker.
Some may argue that the latest statements from Ball, who said that the rumor "didn't come from him" and was "false info", and the organization are just a smoke screen to raise his trade value. However, those who have watched and heard the 24-year-old star in the past years, especially this summer, can easily surmise that he wants to stay in Charlotte. Whether fans are happy or not with it is a different story.
As such, it looks like the Hornets will move forward with Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel as the primary building blocks. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Moussa Diabate, and Sion James also seem like locks to be part of the foundation. Perhaps Miles Bridges has a case, but he has failed to prove that he can be the starting power forward of a competitive squad.
Filling the gaps
The next step for the Hornets is to find a starter who can complement Ball, Miller, Knueppel, and Kalkbrenner. Based on those four's strengths and weaknesses, the ideal target would be a tall forward who can defend in space and protect the rim, either as the primary cover or as a help defender. Offensively, he needs to have a decent outside shot to open up the floor for the core trio and a currently paint-bound Kalkbrenner.
Finding a player of that archetype is every NBA team's goal, though, which would make it challenging for Charlotte to pull off. The good news is that it has several tools at its disposal to look for the right reinforcement, including a deep reserve of draft picks and expiring contracts, which it can trade this season or wait to come off the books in the 2026 offseason to open up cap space.
In addition to a power forward upgrade, the Hornets have to bring in a steady floor general off the bench. That was probably their mindset when they gave Spencer Dinwiddie a chance this previous summer, although the veteran did not do enough to secure a roster spot, and Pat Connaughton has proven the front office's decision right in retaining him over Dinwiddie.
Unfortunately, that meant giving Collin Sexton and Tre Mann some playmaking duties. The former has been a turnover merchant, while the latter has shown that he is more effective as a scorer than a facilitator. KJ Simpson has also so far failed his audition to be Ball's understudy. So, a point guard should be on the Hornets' non-negotiable wish list either later this season or in the next offseason.
Some hitches in the plans?
The thing is, the franchise's outlook continues to be bleak this year, even with Ball presumably staying put.
A key reason is that the injury bug has stung the Hornets hard once again. Melo has missed six of 15 possible matchups, and it looks like his ankle injury has been haunting him in his recent appearances on the court. Miller is about to return, but it's tough to be optimistic about the number of games he will log this season.
The defense has also been pretty underwhelming, allowing opponents to score 120.2 points per contest. Having a bottom-ranked defense has put too much pressure on Charlotte's already inconsistent offense. If it can't display at least some incremental improvement in those areas, frustration can understandably escalate and impact the organization's view of building around Ball, Miller, and Knueppel.
But again, it seems the Hornets' master plan is to keep Ball on the roster. So, Peterson and company should make sure to put him and the rest of the core in the best position to succeed as individuals and as a group.