Following the end of a season that did not play out as well as hoped, LaMelo Ball was asked if he was aggravated by the attempts to push him out of town for the perceived greener pastures of a larger market. Ball responded with “I feel like if you get annoyed then you’re bothered by it. [but] no.”
Despite reports that the Hornets “have no interest” in parting ways with ball reports continues to be stirred up of potential landing spots for Ball via trades. According to reporting from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the All-Star point guard is one of several star players that GMs “will be monitoring on the trade market this summer.”
NBA Hall of Famer and 2008 NBA Champion Paul Pierce says that it would be in Ball’s best interest to leave Charlotte, as he doesn’t have confidence that the Hornets will be able to build a contender around Ball.
“If I’m LaMelo, I’m looking to get out of Charlotte,” said Pierce on an episode of KG Certified (his take on LaMelo begin at 1:02:32).
“What’s going on in Charlotte? Y’all getting a top pick every year. You should have about three, four, five draft picks that you should be developing.”
Ball has been largely spectacular when he has been on the court, but availability has been an issue, with the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year appearing in 75 games or more just once in his five seasons. That season was the 2021-22 campaign, the Horners were 43-39, qualifying for the NBA Play-in Tournament, which was their first sniff of postseason action since 2016.
He has played in just 69 games over the past two seasons and throughout his career has participated in 231 out of a possible 410 contests.
This season, Ball put up per-game averages of 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds but only played in 47 games. The Hornets finished the season 19-63, which was 14th in the Eastern Conference.
LaMelo Ball injury update, Coach also wants Ball to get stronger
LaMelo Ball missed 35 games this season due to having ankle and wrist surgery, with the last game he played being a March 25 111-104 loss to the Orlando Magic in which Ball recorded 25 points and 9 assists on 9/13 from the field, including 3/4 from downtown.
The team says Ball is expected to make a full recovery and return to full basketball activities in the five to six weeks.
While his recovery progresses, Hornets head coach Charles laid out what he wants to see from his star point guard.
Speaking to reporters following exit interviews Coach Lee said of Ball, “He’s got to get stronger”
He says this was the approach that was taken with Giannis Antetolounmpo and Jayson Tatum.
Coach Lee expounded:
“Teams are trying to deny him, trying to be physical, and you can see early in the year when teams did it, it definitely bothered him.
“As he got used to it, he got a lot more comfortable, so it’s going to start with his body. He’s got to get stronger and more conditioned to be able to play both sides of the ball and sustain efforts. … When you’re one of the best players in the league, you have to be ready for physicality. In order to combat that, you have to be stronger.”
Ball seemed to agree with his coach’s assessment of the next evolution he needs to make in his career, saying “I definitely agree,” Ball said. “Just being in the weight room, and everything they’re saying.”
A stronger Ball will be able to better deal with the physicality teams will use to attempt to neutralize him on the offensive end as well as to take advantage of him on the defensive end. It will also allow him to be on the court more often, as he has averaged just 35 games a season over the past three years after appearing in 75 games in the 2021-22 campaign.
