After a hectic and confusing second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Shams Charania closed Wednesday’s broadcast by dropping a major LaMelo Ball bombshell.
According to the league insider, the Charlotte Hornets star is “picking up steam” as a trade candidate, with multiple teams making “aggressive offers” to get a deal done. The unexpected development sent shockwaves across the NBA landscape, with two playoff teams emerging as potential suitors.
Surprise LaMelo Ball Trade Report Sends NBA World Into Frenzy
Ball and the Hornets enjoyed a resurgent 2025-26 campaign, improving by 25 wins to finish 44-38 before their playoff push came up just short in the play-in tournament.
Still, between Ball’s All-Star-caliber playmaking and the rise of sharpshooting 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year runner-up Kon Knueppel and scoring wing Brandon Miller, Charlotte is widely viewed as a looming threat in the Eastern Conference.
However, per Charania, the Hornets may look to continue their ascent without Ball by selling high on the 2020 No. 3 pick.
“Another star whose name is picking up steam in the NBA trade market during draft week, and as we get closer to free agency, is Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball,” Charania began. “Multiple teams are strongly pursuing LaMelo Ball right now.
“The Hornets are engaged, I’m told, and Ball had a strong finish to the season that mirrored the Hornets’ rise over the course of the last calendar year. Both sides have been in a good place. Ball does want to be in Charlotte, I’m told, but this is an organization fielding some aggressive offers. So, if the price is met, he could very well be on the move. This is a developing story, potentially over the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Reporting live for the NBA Draft Show — the Charlotte Hornets are engaged in LaMelo Ball trade talks as multiple teams strongly pursue the star guard: pic.twitter.com/orCcvbU6x7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2026
NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer added that the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors “have emerged as two of the teams with trade interest” in Ball amid their well-documented needs for point guard upgrades.
The Timberwolves and Raptors have emerged as two of the teams with trade interest in Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, league sources tell @JakeLFischer and me.
More to come … pic.twitter.com/Sf5Ik7vAj2
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2026
Charania’s head-turning report sent the NBA community on X into a frenzy, with many expressing disbelief.
“Wow…Shams just reported that LaMelo Ball is being pursued by multiple teams, and he could be traded within the next couple of days. This is going to be a crazy summer!” Spotrac’s Keith Smith exclaimed.
Wow…Shams just reported that LaMelo Ball is being pursued by multiple teams and he could be traded within the next couple of days.
This is going to be a crazy summer!
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 25, 2026
“This is one of the ballsier things a front office has done in a long, long time… and I’m kinda into the idea. It’s the very rare proactive, sell high. LaMelo has real injury questions. Kon and Miller are in place. Point guard is the most replaceable position, and Coby [White] is there,” CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn reacted.
This is one of the ballsier things a front office has done in a long, long time… and I’m kinda into the idea.
It’s the very rare proactive, sell high. LaMelo has real injury questions. Kon and Miller are in place. Point guard is the most replaceable position and Coby is there. https://t.co/tFNBPpuFs0
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) June 25, 2026
“So I’m not like totally surprised… But this is incredible timing nonetheless. What a domino to potentially fall at some point soon here. LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard all potentially available on the NBA trade market ahead of free agency!” No Ceilings NBA’s Nathan Grubel wrote.
So I’m not like totally surprised… But this is incredible timing nonetheless. What a domino to potentially fall at some point soon here. LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard all potentially available on the NBA trade market ahead of free agency! https://t.co/rdgxXnSkKb
— Nathan Grubel (@DraftDeeper) June 25, 2026
“Getting the LaMelo Ball trade news from @ShamsCharania in the final couple minutes of the draft broadcast was like getting a prequel scene during the end credits of a Marvel movie. Stay tuned, folks,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin quipped.
Getting the LaMelo Ball trade news from @ShamsCharania in the final couple minutes of the draft broadcast was like getting a prequel scene during the end credits of a Marvel movie. Stayed tuned, folks.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 25, 2026
“Drafting Christian Anderson at #18 did make me wonder if it made LaMelo Ball more expendable. And here we go,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor pointed out.
Drafting Christian Anderson at #18 did make me wonder if it made LaMelo Ball more expendable. And here we go… https://t.co/tzLn4AZ4jh
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) June 25, 2026
“LaMelo is so much better than people realize,” ESPN’s Sam Block noted.
LaMelo is so much better than people realize
— Sam Block (@theblockspot) June 25, 2026
Across 72 outings this past season, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.8 3-pointers per game, shooting 40.7% overall and 36.8% from deep.
Despite concerns about his injury history and at times questionable shot selection, the 24-year-old possesses the offensive talent to swing an aspiring title contender’s fortune.
