Offseason trade proposal sends LaMelo Ball to Magic: ‘They need an offensive jolt badly’

One NBA analyst proposed the Orlando Magic trade for Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball this offseason. 

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Hornets and Magic:

Orlando Magic receive: LaMelo Ball

Charlotte Hornets receive: Anthony Black, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and two first-round picks

“Why the Magic do it: They need an offensive jolt badly enough to accept the unanswered questions about Ball’s ability to stay on the floor (let alone positively impact winning),” Buckley wrote. “His elite vision and in-the-arena shooting range would breathe new life into Orlando’s attack, while his suspect shooting rates would hopefully spike with opposing defenses also having to contend with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.”

Ball appeared in 47 games for the Hornets this season. He averaged 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists while shooting 40.5% from the field, 33.9% from beyond the arc and 84.3% from the free-throw line. 

Ball was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He has career averages of 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.4 assists. Ball was the 2021 Rookie of the Year. 

“Why the Hornets do it: Ball’s five seasons in Buzz City have yet to yield a single playoff trip, and Charlotte is in jeopardy of posting its worst win rate of his tenure,” Buckley wrote. “The Hornets could have serious doubts about his ability to lead an organization, which notably saw a full regime change within the past two years.”

Ball signed a five-year, $203 million extension with the Hornets in 2023. The All-Star will make $37,958,760 next season, $40,770,520 in 2026-27, $43,582,280 in 2027-28 and $46,394,040 in 2028-29, the final season of his contract. 

According to NBA insiders Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Hornets have no interest in trading Ball. 

“That raises the obvious question: What about LaMelo Ball? Sources said the Hornets have no interest in moving on from their star guard,” Bontemps and Windhorst wrote. “But setting aside the questions about Mark Williams moving forward after the rescinded trade, the Hornets have Brandon Miller, their upcoming lottery pick and this year’s lottery selection, Tidjane Salaun, all as building blocks moving forward. Ball, meanwhile, is already on his second contract. That alone makes it an interesting situation to monitor moving forward. ‘LaMelo is the question there,’ the scout said.”