{"id":110254,"date":"2024-12-02T09:54:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T14:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=110254"},"modified":"2024-12-02T09:54:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T14:54:17","slug":"hornets-lamelo-ball-lonzo-ball-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/02\/hornets-lamelo-ball-lonzo-ball-trade-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Hornets Pair LaMelo Ball With Brother By Trade Deadline?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Charlotte Hornets aren\u2019t tanking, but at 6-14, they\u2019re just 12th in the woebegone Eastern Conference. Their record isn\u2019t damning considering the fact that they entered the season knowing wins would be hard to come by. Though they have a marquee player in LaMelo Ball<\/a> and a rising star in Brandon Miller<\/a>, they don\u2019t have enough pieces to the puzzle.<\/p>\n

Sure, they could use another volume scorer in the starting lineup, preferably a big. Someone like New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> would probably be an ideal trade target for them. However, generals don\u2019t win wars by themselves. The Hornets also need players who can star in smaller roles.<\/p>\n

Could Hornets Pair LaMelo Ball With Lonzo Ball By Trade Deadline?<\/h2>\n

When healthy, the concerns about their depth at point guard isn\u2019t overly concerning.<\/p>\n

Tre Mann<\/a> isn\u2019t a true table-setter but has long been considered an underrated scorer. Vasilije Micic<\/a> is a bit too long in the tooth but is a fantastic facilitator. The two point guards that they have signed to two-way contracts \u2014KJ Simpson<\/a> and Isaiah Wong<\/a> \u2014only recently left college, where they were standout performers.<\/p>\n

However, none of them have Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball<\/a>\u2019s blend of size, basketball IQ, outside shooting, and two-way playmaking.<\/p>\n

The New Shaun Livington<\/h3>\n

Lo. Ball\u2019s injury history makes him difficult to trust. Yet, he could be to the Hornets what Shaun Livingston<\/a> was to the Golden State Warriors\u2019 championship teams due to his skillset and intangibles<\/a>. When healthy, he can be one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. With his length, he\u2019s also capable of playing alongside other point guards, allowing them to focus more on scoring.<\/p>\n

In Golden State, this led to Livingston sharing the court with Stephen Curry<\/a>. In Charlotte, it\u2019ll lead to him sharing the court with LaMelo. Of course, Charlotte isn\u2019t a title-contender just yet. Nonetheless, as they\u2019ve acquired a few remarkable players during their rebuilding phase, they should be thinking about the playoffs sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

To that point, they probably already are. While Hornets head coach Charles Lee has been criticized for being critical<\/a> of his franchise point guard, that type of heavy-handed coaching can bring the best out of players<\/a>. It also sets a standard of excellence that everyone<\/em> realizes they\u2019ll have to meet.<\/p>\n