LaMelo Ball reacts to rumors he wants Hornets to trade him
The Charlotte Hornets have stumbled through the 2025-26 season, which has led to growing chatter around star point guard LaMelo Ball’s desire to remain with the franchise.
Ball has quickly dispelled that outside noise by further underlining that he wants to play for the Hornets.
“I love being here,” Ball said Friday following practice in Charlotte via ESPN. “I ain’t saying nothing. I’m just trying to win, that’s it. That’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
The increased doubt around the situation recently stemmed from a Yahoo Sports report that cited that Ball was growing increasingly frustrated with Charlotte and was open to a trade. The 24-year-old responded to the report by reposting the story on social media on Thursday, accompanied by a clown emoji.
Throughout his NBA career, Ball has never publicly shown dismay toward the franchise. He has remained firmly committed to Charlotte, which included becoming the first player in team history to ink a max deal with a five-year, $203.8 million.
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Ball is in the second year of his max rookie designated extension that runs through the 2028-29 season. Although there remain lingering questions concerning Ball’s maturity level, the Hornets hold firm confidence that he can lead the team toward sustained success as the guiding force.
It hasn’t been the case so far, as the team hasn’t reached the play-in tournament since his rookie campaign after being selected with the third overall pick in 2020. Charlotte currently holds a 4-13 record, including a six-game losing streak.
