The Charlotte Hornets’ season is spiraling, but nothing has shocked fans more than the dueling narratives surrounding LaMelo Ball’s future. One report claims the 24-year-old star is frustrated and open to a trade. Another, released almost immediately after, insists the franchise isn’t even entertaining the idea. And with the Hornets sitting at a miserable 4–11, the tension between those two realities is suddenly the biggest storyline in Charlotte

Notably, LaMelo himself has already jumped into the conversation. After Kelly Iko’s report started making the rounds, Ball reposted it on X with a single clown emoji, his way of telling everyone he’s not exactly co-signing the narrative being pushed about him. It doesn’t erase the fact that frustration exists on both sides, but it does show he isn’t ready to publicly wear the “get me out of Charlotte” label just yet.

Well, that’s a bit complex. It is because the Hornets entered this offseason with expectations of finally being able to see a glimpse of their future with the trio of Ball, Brandon Miller, and rookie star Kon Knueppel. However, that’s not possible due to Miller suffering from a shoulder injury and Ball also dealing with an ankle issue for several games.

In fact, this is a huge reason why NBA reporter Jake Fischer believes “with absolute certainty that the Charlotte Hornets are not actively looking to move LaMelo Ball anytime soon.” According to him, “Everyone involved in this situation, from LaMelo Ball himself to Hornets executives, to the people on that coaching staff, just like other teams that have been depleted due to injury right now.”

“They want to see what this group could look like with Brandon Miller actually in the fold with a full lineup. Especially with Kon Knueppel being an immediate sniper right away. So yes, rival teams, rival executives are absolutely believing and preparing for a potential LaMelo Ball trade candidacy before the February 5th trade deadline.”

“But LaMelo Ball is not asking out, to my understanding, and the Hornets are not actively looking to move him by any stretch right now.” Fischer once again emphasized. Even though over the past few days the 24-year-old has been linked with several teams across the league, it seems like the Hornets are not interested in trading away their franchise player.

So you basically have two tracks running at once: one camp saying LaMelo is frustrated and the front office is cooling on him, and another well-sourced reporter insisting nobody in Charlotte is actively pushing him toward the exit. The common thread? Rival teams are acting like something could pop before February 5, even if the Hornets aren’t the ones racing to start that conversation.

This is a little bit surprising, as the one-time All-Star is not having his best season, fifteen games into the campaign, having missed six of those due to an ankle injury and performing below his usual standards. So far this season, Ball is averaging just 21.6 points while shooting 38.5% from the field and 29.8% from deep, significantly lower than his career averages of 42% from the field and 36.2% from deep.

Some of that slide isn’t just LaMelo freelancing his way into bad shots for fun. The Hornets have been an absolute roller-coaster offensively inconsistent spacing, lineups in flux because of injuries, and very little secondary creation when Ball sits. Even with Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner flashing real promise, Charlotte still ranks in the bottom tier of offensive efficiency and is giving up far more points than it scores on most nights. That environment naturally drags down a high-usage guard’s numbers, especially one trying to play his way back from yet another ankle issue.

We shouldn’t rely too heavily on these statistics just yet, as the season is still in its early stages. Additionally, the Hornets’ front office intends to give their young core a proper opportunity before making any significant changes to the roster. However, even if they decided to make a move, an insider suggests that Charlotte might not receive much in return for LaMelo Ball.

NBA insider provides a reality check to Charlotte on LaMelo Ball’s trade value

While the Charlotte Hornets seem to be adamant on keeping LaMelo Ball, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst thinks even if they do want to trade for the 24-year-old point guard, they might not fetch a lot, given his limited market. During the most recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, the insider revealed some keep updates on Ball’s trade market value.

Windhorst stated that he doesn’t really know what the market could look like for Ball, who’s still young and has about three years remaining on his five-year $203.8 million contract. “There’s just not that many teams that are seriously in need of a point guard, and of those teams that are, let’s say there’s seven or eight who could use an upgrade,” he said.

“The teams that are willing to go for a player like LaMelo with his injury history, and I would say the same about Ja, and the style of play, in Ja’s case, it’s a lack of a billion to shoot, and LaMelo’s case, sort of his proclivity for taking bad shots. He’s got some bad habits, some of which the Hornets have nurtured, his lack of defense as well.”

“I’m not sure that there’s going to be a humongous market for him, despite the fact that he has been a very popular player, and despite the fact that he’s put up good numbers because of his injury history.”

Even Brian Windhorst’s view of Ball’s value comes with layers. On one hand, execs have told ESPN that if Trae Young, Ja Morant, and LaMelo all magically hit the trade block tomorrow, LaMelo might actually have the strongest market because of his age, size, and offensive upside. On the other hand, multiple reports also stress that his value isn’t strong enough right now for Charlotte to feel comfortable pulling the trigger, especially when you factor in his defense, shot selection, and the amount of money still owed on his deal. As one scout put it, “Would someone take a flier on him? For sure. But Charlotte isn’t taking a flier price for him.”

That’s where the real friction lies. Around the league, there’s a growing group of decision-makers who see LaMelo as a “mega-talent” but don’t believe he can be the face of a serious contender, a sentiment that, according to Tim MacMahon on the Hoop Collective, isn’t considered controversial in front-office conversations anymore. They love the highlights; they’re less sold on the habits.

More so, given the fact that the 24-year-old possesses a terrible injury record, which might further sway away teams from offering him a deal. Still, a few teams like the Brooklyn Nets or the LA Clippers are among the few who might think about betting on Ball, despite all the cons around him. So, the guard’s next move will be something worth keeping an eye on before the trade deadline.