A swap between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers reminded us that the start of the trade season is nearing. With the first domino falling, other deals should be expected to come down in the coming weeks and months.
The Charlotte Hornets are among those that should probably make a move. A roster upgrade might be needed to address the myriad of injuries that have beset them even before the regular season began.
The franchise also has several veterans who have appeared in trade discussions, although some are just conjectures. However, it might indeed make sense for the Hornets to get back assets in return rather than hold on to players that aren't part of their long-term plans.
Balls' union makes sense for the Hornets
Another possible route the team can consider is making LaVar Ball happy, who recently hinted at something huge coming to Charlotte. Some folks have theorized that his eldest son, Lonzo, is on his way to the Hornets.
Of course, that appears to be a little farfetched for many reasons, even though there is a chance LaMelo Ball might want his big brother around. Maybe he has been watching the Milwaukee Bucks, whose surge in the standings has coincided with the regular attendance of Giannis Antetokounmpo's former teammate and elder sibling, Thanasis.
For basketball reasons, trading for the Chicago Bulls guard does make some sense, especially after watching the former No. 2 pick churn out a solid performance in the Bulls' Friday win over the Hornets.
That contest saw Lonzo Ball score in double-digits for the first time in his nine appearances so far in the 2024-25 campaign. He also grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and dished out four assists, which included an alley-oop connection with Zach LaVine. Imagine him pulling off similar highlight-reel plays with LaMelo Ball.
Interestingly, the 27-year-old floor general has suited up in six of the Bulls' last seven meetings.
Does this mean Lonzo Ball has recovered from the injuries that had kept him out for the entirety of the previous two campaigns? That remains to be seen, although Charlotte might want to mull over rolling the dice on the University of California, Los Angeles product to help solve its lack of reliable playmakers, especially when LaMelo Ball is out of the lineup.
You know it's bad when Vasilije Micic has been outplayed at times by a rookie, KJ Simpson, or a two-way player, Isaiah Wong.
Other trade candidates could turn out to be better options for the Hornets. However, if getting Lonzo Ball could help keep his youngest brother happy, the organization should probably at least consider giving up a second-round pick to acquire him.