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By Ricardo Sandoval
Contributing Sports Writer
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The 2025-26 NBA season is underway, and the focus of the league, as usual, is on who will be the next NBA star to be traded.
Some of the top names in the league have been thrown out there, including Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, to name a few. There will be a ton of movement as the NBA trade deadline approaches, and the only question is who will be traded.
As it stands, it’s all chatter and early-season speculation — we’re barely into November, after all. Whether any of those players actually get moved won’t be known for a while. In the meantime, another name beginning to surface in trade talks is Charlotte Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball.
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Ball has had his name tossed around in trade rumors for some time, and during what appears to be yet another Hornets season thrown down the drain, it could be time for Charlotte to deal their All-Star guard.
If that is the case, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst believes that Ball is an elite trade piece, especially considering the other possibilities on the block like Ja Morant and Young.
"If you're asking me if Trae, Ja and LaMelo all came onto the trade market tomorrow, I think LaMelo would have the best market. But that's all hypothetical right now," Windhorst said.
Windhorst believes in the 24-year-old, and so does this Western Conference scout.
"He still doesn't know who he is," a Western Conference scout said. "But I think you can justify buying into the talent."
However, another West scout doubts that Ball can take his game to the next level.
"Yes, he's talented, but he doesn't take basketball seriously enough," another West scout said. "It's hard to build a winner with him because of how he plays, and the liberties he takes for himself when he plays.
"Would someone take a flier on him? For sure. But Charlotte isn't taking a flier price for him."
Beyond the talent, there are a ton of questions regarding Ball. For starters, his durability. He has played in only seven of the Hornets' 13 games this season.
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On top of that, Ball has played in only 105 games in the past three seasons, meaning he's only been available for 42 percent of the time. Ball certainly has the most upside, but that could only take you far enough.
In the season thus far, Ball is averaging 22.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 9.9 assists while shooting 41.9 percent from the field.
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