There may be trouble brewing in Charlotte, and it is not subtle.
According to ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, LaMelo Ball and Charles Lee are not on the same page. Not even close.
Perkins said this week that Ball’s reduced role is not accidental, suggesting on the Road Trippin’ podcast that the Hornets are intentionally limiting their franchise guard’s minutes with an eye toward a possible trade.
“Oh, it’s smoke over there,” Perkins said. “The coach feels as if LaMelo is not his guy. The Hornets are gonna have to make a decision. It’s either trade LaMelo or fire the coach. Those two guys don’t see eye-to-eye.”
Perkins did not hedge. He doubled down, calling the disconnect “a fact” and saying the energy between Ball and Lee simply is not there.
Ball, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is in his sixth season with the franchise and is averaging a career low in minutes per game.
Whether that is part of a long-term plan, short-term discipline, or something more transactional depends on who you believe.
If Perkins is right, Charlotte is headed toward a familiar crossroads. When a coach decides the star player is not his guy, the clock usually starts ticking. The only mystery is whose time runs out first.
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