The Hornets' front office believes they came out as winners from the LaMelo Ball trade

The Hornets’ front office believes they came out as winners from the LaMelo Ball trade originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Now that LaMelo Ball is playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Charlotte Hornets are in a new era. They are now building around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel as the franchise players. Charlotte has pivoted away from the previous era, as they not only traded Ball but also Miles Bridges.

The Hornets had a promising 2025-26 season. While Ball was a cornerstone point guard, it seems the front office was ready to move on. They want a more balanced it seems, and that is what they are trying to build with the current Hornets roster.

The Hornets believe they were right to move on from LaMelo Ball

Parting ways with a franchise player is tough for any team, but it was a needed move for the Hornets. Of course, a lot of people are hurt because Ball was a true Hornets player who stuck around for a long time. However, the Hornets believe they are making the right decision.

They are now fully focusing on building around a couple of wings in Knueppel and Miller. It is worth it to keep building around these two players because they fit the bill for the modern NBA star with their shooting and length.

MORE: Kon Knueppel speaks about how it feels that LaMelo Ball has left the Hornets

While Ball was a tremendously talented player, he failed to lead the Hornets into the Playoffs. Now, he will be playing as a clear guy behind Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, which could be the optimal role for him in the long run. 

The Hornets themselves think they are building the team well, and it’s hard to blame them because they have Knueppel and Miller as the long-term star players.

“When you trade someone as good and as popular as LaMelo, you have to get it right. We think we did. Coby is a starting point guard. Brandon needs a new deal, and he needs the ball more. Same with Kon as far as needing the ball. Getting all of those picks, plus Naz Reid to help our frontcourt, it was the right move at the right time,” A Hornets front office executive told Spotrac’s Keith Smith.

It will be interesting to see how it all works out for both sides. They have the upside across both teams, and it will be quite fun to track how the Hornets will do without such a talismanic player like Ball.

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