Could the Nets go after Hornets' LaMelo Ball this offseason?
Could the Nets go after Hornets' LaMelo Ball this offseason?
The Brooklyn Nets are in the early stages of an offseason where they could go a number of directions depending on how the franchise wants to continue the rebuild. Brooklyn is most likely going to follow through with its plans to build through the Draft, but there is the possibility that some marquee players are available this summer, including a talented guard with a popular profile.
One of the players that could be available this offseason depending on what happens with the Charlotte Hornets is guard LaMelo Ball, one of the players that many thought was snubbed by not being selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team this season. As it usually the case every season, Ball is one of a few players that the league will be keeping an eye on, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
"The availability of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is one of the stars several executives who spoke with HoopsHype will be monitoring on the trade market this summer," Scotto wrote in March. The Hornets finished the season with a 19-63 record, but Ball played well to the tune of 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 40.5% from the field and 33.9% from three-point land.
While Scotto's reporting indicates that NBA personnel around the NBA will be keeping an eye on Ball's status as far as if he will be playing basketball for Charlotte next season, that's different than if the Hornets are willing to trade him. Charlotte has a good, young nucleus of Ball, Brandon Millers, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams, all players 26 years old or younger and they are third in the NBA Lottery odds.
While anything can happen and the Nets could use the talents of someone like Ball on a team just beginning its rebuild, time will tell if Brooklyn would be willing to trade for a player like the former third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens to difference-making players like Ball and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, just to name a couple.
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