Hornets in active LaMelo Ball trade talks with multiple teams

The Charlotte Hornets are seriously engaged in trade talks with multiple teams aggressively pursuing star point guard LaMelo Ball, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. Talks surrounding Ball have picked up steam with the Hornets fielding aggressive offers, sources said. If Charlotte's terms are met, a potential trade could develop in the next 24 to 48 hours, sources said Wednesday night.

Ball's situation Ball has been happy in Charlotte, and both parties are in a good place after the Hornets enjoyed a massive turnaround last season and fell one play-in win short of making the playoffs and ending a postseason drought that dates to 2016. Ball has three years left on his contract and is eligible to sign a two-year, $119.2 million extension July 6.

Performance and team context Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds and shot 36.8% from 3 in 72 regular-season games, his most played since he logged 75 in his second season in 2021-22. From 2022-23 to 2024-25, Ball played in a total of 105 games because of injuries.

With Ball leading an exciting offense, the Hornets won 44 games after winning just 19 the season before. The Hornets took a massive leap in part because of the improved health of Ball and Brandon Miller and the arrival of rookie Kon Knueppel. Miller, the second pick in 2023, averaged a team-high 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 65 games while Knueppel finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Dallas' Cooper Flagg after becoming the first rookie to lead the league in 3-pointers made.

Playoff run and fines Ball helped the Hornets beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime in the first Eastern Conference play-in game when he made a layup with 4.7 seconds left. Ball, however, was fined $35,000 "for making unnecessary and reckless contact" with Bam Adebayo after Ball swiped at the Heat center's foot while on the ground, sending Adebayo to the floor and injuring his lower back.