5 Free agent targets for Hornets who are perfect fits with LaMelo Ball
By Jack Simone
The Charlotte Hornets are still stuck in the middle of the same rebuild they’ve been in since Kemba Walker left for the Boston Celtics in 2019.
Led by LaMelo Ball, who can’t seem to stay on the court, the Hornets have found themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings for the past two seasons.
Ball’s injuries have certainly hurt the Hornets’ progression, but when he’s on the court, he’s one of the best young guards in the league, and Charlotte should still be looking to build around him.
With that in mind, here are five free agents the Hornets should target this summer who are perfect fits next to Ball.
(Charlotte doesn’t have much cap space, so most free agency suggestions would involve using their MLE, which should clock in at just under $13 million per season. Plus, some are minimum-level players who could play rotation minutes.)
1. De’Anthony Melton
Ball is one of the best playmakers in basketball, but the Hornets have had one huge issue over the past few seasons: Defense. That’s what De’Anthony Melton would bring to the table for them.
During his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Melton turned into one of the league’s best players at nabbing steals, and his on-ball defense would give the Hornets’ backcourt a huge boost.
Standing at just 6-foot-2, Melton is a bit undersized, but next to Ball in the backcourt, who is listed at a whopping 6-foot-7, the pairing would make plenty of sense.
On top of his defense, Melton’s three-point shooting would also be super useful, as he would provide Ball with another outlet to dish to behind the arc on the offensive end of the floor.