The Charlotte Hornets looked to be on the up-and-up during the 2021-22 NBA season. They increased their win total by 10 games, but nothing has gone according to plan this offseason as Charlotte has had arguably the worst one of any franchise in the league.
They fired head coach James Borrego after the team was blown out in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year and thought they had locked in Kenny Atkinson as his replacement. Less than a week after accepting the job, Atkinson had a change of heart and returned to the Golden State Warriors’ staff.
Steve Clifford, who coached the team from 2013-2018, was tabbed as his replacement. He will have a tall task ahead of him as the Hornets will likely be without Miles Bridges.
Bridges was charged with felony domestic violence and child abuse this offseason, putting his NBA career in jeopardy.
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That has opened up some questions about LaMelo Ball’s long-term outlook in Buzz City. Without Bridges, there isn’t much of a core to get excited about around Ball. That could lead to him pushing his way out of town sooner than later according to one NBA scout that spoke to NBA Analysis Network.
“He seems to like in Charlotte, but with that Miles Bridges stuff, they are going to be in rough shape. They don’t have much of a core without Bridges, and they aren’t really that positioned to tank this season either. … If I’m running a rebuilding team, I’d keep an eye on LaMelo’s situation. Market size may limit the pool there a bit, but I could see him thriving in a lot of places if he was open to it.”
One team that every young player who could look for a change of scenery could have an eye on is the Houston Rockets. They have done a good job acquiring some high-end young talent since tearing down the roster from the Mike D’Antoni and James Harden era. The scout believes they are someone to keep an eye on when it comes to Ball.
“The Rockets would be a fun destination. They can really get out in on the break and if Jalen Green can take a step forward soon, that would be a really star-studded backcourt long-term. I like the pieces they have in the frontcourt as well.”
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Another Southwest division member was mentioned by the scout in the New Orleans Pelicans. They had his older brother, Lonzo Ball, on the roster for a few years before he was sign-and-traded to the Chicago Bulls during the 2021 offseason. Bringing in another Ball brother is something that could be intriguing.
Along with New Orleans, the Orlando Magic are another interesting destination. Orlando has a logjam of point guards right now but none with the ceiling of Ball. He is already an All-Star, something Jalen Suggs still has plenty of work to achieve.
“The Pelicans seem like a great fit as well. That could be an intriguing way to keep Zion happy and to build something special for the long-term. The two-man game with those guys would be really tough to stop.
“Orlando is an interesting one to think about. They have a lot of guards but don’t really have one that’s shown star potential yet. He could be intriguing next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. That’s a great trio for the future.”
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Last but not least, the scout mentioned teams that entered rebuilds this offseason in the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz. Loaded with draft capital, they have their eyes set on the jewels of the 2023 NBA Draft; Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. Landing one of them could lead to an interest in Ball.
“If a team like the Spurs or Jazz managed to be the lucky team that gets Victor or Scoot, they could quickly become an intriguing future LaMelo spot. Again, the market situation comes in as a factor there. They’d have to add some key pieces and take a risk with the trade like Cleveland has done with Donovan Mitchell.”
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If Ball does become available, virtually every team in the NBA would at least make a call about acquiring him. He is a 21-year-old burgeoning star with elite measurables for the point guard position. A front office wouldn’t be doing their job if they didn’t do their due diligence and at least inquire about Ball.
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