LaMelo Ball Reportedly Growing Frustrated In Charlotte, Could Request A Trade

Back in 2020, the Charlotte Hornets had the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft, and somehow, the potentially generational talent LaMelo Ball fell into their laps after a questionable pick at No. 2 from Golden State. Over his five seasons with the team to date, Ball has been one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, becoming arguably the most exciting player in the Hornets franchise history.

Unfortunately, that comes with plenty of downsides, too, as Ball has also been injured quite a lot and has been accused by many of not taking basketball as seriously as he should. With the team facing down another losing season, a report from Yahoo Sports has now revealed that rising frustrations in Charlotte could lead to Ball requesting a trade from the only NBA team he's known.

This news comes after the emergence of Kon Knueppel, who is leading the Rookie of the Year race in 2025–26, finally giving Ball the talent he needs alongside Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller. Despite all of this young talent, however, the Hornets are still struggling as they sit at 4–11 through their first 15 games, with the team seemingly not able to escape mediocrity no matter what they do.

The future in Charlotte currently looks bright, but if Ball does indeed want out, that gives the team a major decision to make, and if they believe they can build around Knueppel and Miller, then perhaps we may be seeing a LaMelo Ball trade at some point in the near future.