NBA: Charlotte engages in trade talks with 2 teams for LaMelo Ball

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

After Giannis Antetokounmpo, will we see another big name in the Eastern Conference leave the franchise that drafted him?

On June 25, 2026, multiple sources confirmed that the Charlotte Hornets recently engaged in trade discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Toronto Raptors for the services of their franchise player, LaMelo Ball.

Although Ball is still under contract with Charlotte until the 2028-29 NBA season after signing a lucrative five-year, USD 203,852,600 (PHP 12,504,624,262) deal, teams can still pursue him in the offseason despite his no-trade clause.

Ball is coming off a stellar 2025-26 NBA season after leading the Hornets to the NBA Play-In Tournament, but they fell short when they lost to the Orlando Magic in the final phase, 121-90.

Despite failing to advance in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Charlotte’s 2025-26 Play-In campaign marked the farthest the Hornets have advanced during Ball’s tenure.

Ball was selected third overall by Charlotte during the 2020 NBA Draft, immediately making an impact after becoming the team’s leading star with his flashy playmaking and three-level scoring.

However, Ball had an inconsistent showing for the Hornets due to multiple injuries and has failed to play all 82 games in any season.

Fortunately, Ball and the rest of Charlotte flipped the switch after the All-Star break, posting an impressive 18-9 win-loss record en route to the NBA Play-In stage.

Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 72 games played.

During the Play-In, he dropped 30 markers and 10 dimes to lead the Hornets against the Heat, and had a 23-point outing in the loss to Orlando.

If Charlotte decides to move on from Ball and rebuild, this means the focal point of the franchise will now belong to Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.

Knueppel, a frontrunner for last year’s Rookie of the Year award, quickly turned heads in his first season with the Hornets and delivered 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

Meanwhile, Miller, who showed promising stretches when healthy, chipped in 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.

Will Charlotte let go of Ball and begin a new era in the Eastern Conference?