LaMelo Ball Shuts Down Trade Speculation

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has reportedly shown signs of mounting frustration with the team's sluggish 4–11 start, leading to speculation about his willingness to accept a trade from Charlotte, as revealed by Kelly Iko of Yahoo! Sports. In response to these claims, Ball quickly took to X, formerly Twitter, posting a clown-face emoji to dismiss the rumors.This report emerged shortly after Ball found himself benched during the crucial moments of a recent game against the Pacers. The Hornets currently occupy 12th place in the Eastern Conference following a disappointing four-game losing streak. In his nine games this season, Ball has maintained impressive averages of 21.6 points, 9.6 assists, and 6.9 rebounds.Now in his sixth season after being selected third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball's tenure with the Hornets has been devoid of playoff appearances. Despite playing 240 games, he has yet to experience postseason play, with the team's record faltering significantly since the 2021–2022 season. Currently, Ball is in the second year of a five-year, $203.8 million contract, earning $37.95 million this year.