LaMelo Ball is now playing in his sixth NBA season. Despite being only 24 years old, he’s slowly approaching veteran status. So far, he’s only spent his time in the league playing for the Charlotte Hornets. He was drafted by the Hornets in 2020 as the third pick in the draft. Since then, he’s remained loyal to the team.
However, after another frustrating start to their season, will Ball’s loyalty to Charlotte begin to crack?
LaMelo Ball Breaks Silence on Reports of His Frustrations With the Hornets
NBA reporter Kelly Iko reported on Thursday that Ball is growing frustrated with the Hornets. According to Iko’s report, multiple league sources told them that the Hornets star is ready to move on from the team and is open to a trade.
“Following the Hornets’ disappointing road loss to the 2-13 Indiana Pacers–their fourth straight, dropping Charlotte to 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 4-11 record–star guard LaMelo Ball has grown increasingly frustrated with the organization and is open to a trade away from the franchise,” Iko reported.
Not too long after the report was published, Ball himself found the post on X and reposted with a cryptic message. The Hornets star responded with a clown emoji, which could mean one of two things. Either he’s denying the report and calling Iko a clown for publishing such content, or he’s criticizing his team for their poor start to the season.
– Melo (@MELOD1P) November 20, 2025
If the reports are true, then teams looking to acquire Ball will be in for a treat. Despite his being injury-prone, there’s no denying that Ball is among the most talented point guards in the league today.
The Hornets star is averaging 21.6 points, 9.6 assists, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. While Ball might be surrounded by criticism regarding his nonchalant style of play on the court, he’s likely to become a more serious threat if he ends up playing for a contending team.
During his rookie season, Ball already proved to be a star in the league. He won the Rookie of the Year award, outshining Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards. Ball then quickly notched his first All-Star nod in his sophomore year.
However, due to a plethora of injury issues, Ball was never able to make another All-Star appearance. With that said, teams looking to acquire the Hornets’ star should consider his injury history.
