Miles Bridges offers compelling reason Hornets shouldn't trade star

Should the Charlotte Hornets trade LaMelo Ball or build around him? That's the question the organization will have to mull over in the summer and probably even well beyond it if it decides to hold onto the star in the offseason.

There are valid arguments for either option. Some people believe Ball has already played his last game in a Hornets uniform. His injuries and inability to prove his impact on winning, as cliche as it may sound now, have been too difficult to deal with for a team that has been deprived of success for the longest time.

On the other hand, finding a trade package worthy of the 2021 Rookie of the Year's talent and star power might be a near-impossible task. Besides, maybe his worst days — injury-wise — are behind him after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to deal with his nagging wrist and ankle ailments.

Miles Bridges' comments show exactly why Charlotte needs LaMelo Ball

It's also worth noting that skilled playmakers who can lead a squad are in short supply in the NBA. So, the Hornets might want to move forward with Ball as one of their foundational players. In addition, his leadership potential has been on full display every time he steps on the court.

Charlotte veteran Miles Bridges even offered a description of his teammate that speaks a lot about why the franchise needs Ball around in the long run. In an appearance on the "Hornets Hive Cast," Bridges explained his uncanny chemistry with Melo when the show's host asked about the point guard's knack for finding him for highlight-reel plays.

According to the 26-year-old forward, Ball is a "willing passer, a team guy" who "wants to see his team succeed more than himself." He also stated that everyone loves the star, which should provide more reason to believe that Charlotte will be better off having Melo around next season and beyond.

Still, it wouldn't be surprising if the front office, led by Jeff Peterson and which inherited Ball after a change in management last year, opts to part ways with Ball sometime soon. Hopefully, though, the returns it would get in that case would be beneficial to the squad. Naturally, fans don't want Peterson to mimic what the Dallas Mavericks did with Luka Doncic at the trade deadline.

Even Bridges is expected to be a trade candidate despite his consistently fine play in the 2024-25 campaign arguably being good enough as an audition piece for him to extend his stay in Queen City.

For now, only Brandon Miller has looked untouchable. However, various pieces of evidence have shown why the Hornets must consider keeping other players, including Ball and Bridges, around.