The NBA draft just ended, but there already may be some massive hoops news on the horizon.
According to ESPN, the Charlotte Hornets are engaged with multiple teams in discussions about trading point guard LaMelo Ball, who helped revive the Hornets to a 44-38 record this season and a berth in the Play-In Tournament.
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Ball has played six seasons in the NBA and averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 72 games this past season. The 24-year-old is a supremely gifted offensive player, though he’s a high-volume shooter prone to stretches of highly inefficient play. Despite that, under the right program and system, Ball could find a new home that would better suit him.
Here are the best fits for LaMelo Ball, if he’s traded from the Hornets:
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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball celebrates after scoring against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center.
They just traded Julius Randle, previously the team’s No. 2 scoring threat, and the Timberwolves need to both capitalize on this window to win with star Anthony Edwards, while keeping him happy. It just so happens that the biggest area of need on the roster is at point guard.
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And added benefit from Ball is that he’s a player who can create his own shot, which is something Minnesota’s other players struggled with when teams threw double teams at Edwards. By trading Randle, the Timberwolves cleared cap space and created a $33.3 million trade exception, which creates the structure to pull in a player like Ball.
The Raptors improved this season and became quite competitive down the stretch, though Toronto’s offense disappointed late in the season. Much like all teams on this list, there’s a glaring lack of offensive production that needs to be addressed; the Raptors ranked 26th in the NBA in converted 3-pointers per game (11.4). Ball, on his own, averaged 3.8 made 3s per game. The Raptors would almost certainly need to ship Immanuel Quickley, but Ball’s injury history does raise some concerns.
It would be a little rough for Ball to leave the Hornets just as they were inching toward competitiveness, only to land with a team that’s embarking on a total rebuild. The Bucks, however, are going to be searching for a new identity and will want someone who can easily create offense — especially if the Bucks choose to reroute Tyler Herro, whom the team acquired in the trade with the Miami Heat for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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This is a team at an interesting crossroads. The Magic have a new coach in Sean Sweeney and need to determine whether the Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner partnership is sustainable. Orlando also struggled to generate consistent offense, especially when they faced stout defensive teams. This is a problem come playoff time, when competition intensifies. The Magic also tied for 27th in 3-point percentage (34.3%).
This isn’t quite as seamless a fit as the others on this list because Ball thrives best when the ball is in his hands. The Pistons, however, operate their offense through star point guard Cade Cunningham. Granted, Detroit relied too heavily on Cunningham to create just about the entirety of the team’s offensive production, so a supplemental ball handler could help. This would work better if Ball would commit to playing more as a natural two-guard.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlotte Hornets looking to trade LaMelo Ball. Best team fits ranked
