As NBA trade deadline speculation continues, the Charlotte Hornets are an intriguing team to watch. Stuck near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, there have been a lot of rumors regarding the future of franchise point guard LaMelo Ball. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green recently had an up-close look at the team and believes it’s very clear which direction the team is going.
Draymond Green Blasts Hornets for Clear Tanking
The Four-time All-Star and NBA champion discussed the Hornets on his podcast and strongly expressed his belief that the Hornets aren’t always trying to win games.
Green said, “The Charlotte Hornets is a team that is tanking right in your face in plain sight. The fact they have LaMelo Ball coming off the bench, I found very interesting. They are a much worse team and so easy to guard when LaMelo is not on the floor.
“When he played them in Charlotte, LaMelo had it going, he hit multiple threes in a row, he had got their team going, and then in the third quarter, he came out at about the five-minute mark, maybe, and did not come back into the game until the fourth quarter with four minutes to go.”
The 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year added, “LaMelo Ball is on a max contract. One of the young, talented guys in this league, and there’s nothing to explain about that? That’s weird to me; that’s tanking right in front of your face.
“The offense is so simple to guard when LaMelo not on the floor. And also, when you look at this team, trade deadline is coming up, they’re gonna have some pieces they move, that’s just the nature of sorry teams.”
Draymond Green says the Hornets are tanking right in everybody’s face 😳
“Apparently they are going to penalize tanking and I would say great. That can’t happen fast enough. The Charlotte Hornets are a team that is tanking right in your face in plain sight. The fact they have… pic.twitter.com/pCHKXEPzVv
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 19, 2026
Most of Green’s comments center on Ball, one of the NBA’s popular yet polarizing players. Ball is averaging 19.9 points, five rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game this season, while shooting 41.4% from the field and 37% from three. His offensive flair and sometimes lack of discipline on defense have made headlines.
Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee made the controversial decision earlier this month to use Ball off the bench occasionally. While some insiders believe the move is intended to maximize Ball’s minutes and prevent another ankle injury, Green provides a current player’s perspective and is skeptical.
Green, mentioning the Hornets’ questionable substitution patterns with Ball, adds another element to the discussion. As Green points out, most teams want their franchise players on the floor as much as possible, especially someone like Ball, who isn’t even in his prime yet. Ball, a one-time All-Star and 2021 Rookie of the Year, has three years left on his max contract, so another round of trade rumors is inevitable unless the Hornets start winning.
Whatever moves the Hornets make at the deadline, Green’s comments put their future decisions under the microscope.
