Report: Cavs And Hornets Discussing Trade To Pair Up Lonzo With LaMelo Ball In Charlotte

It’s always interesting to see two brothers playing for the same team. It’s a completely different conversation if both brothers happen to be former lottery picks who play the same position.

This very scenario could end up playing out in Charlotte, as NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer have reported that the Hornets have been in talks to pair LaMelo Ball with his big bro.

“Sources say there has been some preliminary conversation between the Cavaliers and Hornets about Ball trade constructions that could furnish Charlotte with second-round draft capital and thus enable the Hornets to pair the elder Ball with his younger brother LaMelo,” Stein and Fischer wrote on Tuesday.

This planned trade, however, goes far beyond the sentimentality of reuniting the two Ball siblings on the hardcourt. According to Stein and Fischer: “Charlotte, Brooklyn, and Utah, according to league sources, are all teams that have been looking to facilitate multi-team trades or take on unwanted salary in exchange for draft pick compensation.”

The bigger story, then, appears to be the Hornets’ quest to load up on their draft assets, which they can use to either replenish their talent pool or leverage as trade chips. 

Ironically, there have been speculations in recent months that LaMelo Ball himself could be dealt during the trade season, perhaps along with some draft picks. With the emergence of Brandon Miller as the team’s leading scorer and Kon Knueppel as Charlotte’s sharpshooter of the future, the Hornets may have found a more bankable pair of core players for the long term (in contrast to LaMelo, who has missed large chunks of games throughout his six-year stint with the team).

Of course, there’s an argument to be made for the Hornets to field both Ball brothers. If the front office chooses to go this route, Lonzo (arguably the better playmaker of the two) could fit in as a backup court general to his younger brother, thus providing depth for Charlotte’s point guard position.

The Hornets have been on a roll as of late, and the decisions that they’ll be making at the end of trade season will certainly have an impact on their playoff aspirations this year. As it stands, there are pros and cons to a Lonzo and LaMelo pairing in the Queen City.