Former Hornets star sends warning to LaMelo Ball after Luka Doncic deal

Gordon Hayward says LaMelo Ball needs to keep his head on a swivel.

Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) and guard Luka Doncic (77) during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Former Charlotte Hornets star Gordon Hayward was as stunned as anyone when Luka Doncic got traded at the deadline. He believes it means that no one, including LaMelo Ball, is safe with their franchise. He also thinks it means Ball has some work to do to convince the Hornets not to move on.

🎙️ Gordon Hayward: "LaMelo (Ball) and I still text... as we see with the Luka (Doncic) trade, nobody is safe."

"Hornets need to figure out, can we win and can we build around this guy? [...] He's gotta prove to the league that he can carry a franchise."pic.twitter.com/9eerlM4PhG

— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) March 14, 2025

Even before the Doncic trade, there were inklings that Ball's time with the Hornets may not be so secure. He's never played for another team and is under a lucrative rookie max extension, but many in and around the NBA are speculating that the front office, which didn't draft or extend Ball, might be considering a trade.

Hayward believes those are questions the Hornets have to ask themselves. "For him, I think he needs to focus on getting himself right so he can play as many games as he can," Hayward began. "From a franchise situation, they've gotta figure out, can we win and can we build around this guy?"

The former Hornets forward said it's been "tough sledding" with injuries, something he admitted was true even when he played for the team, but that they have to decide what to do next. "If I'm LaMelo, I gotta prove to the league that I can carry a franchise. He's proven that he can do it for 10 games, 15 games, but it's about being able to carry a franchise through a season and into the playoffs."

Mar 13, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) and forward Gordon Hayward (20) high five during the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Hayward didn't explicitly say whether the Hornets should or should not trade Ball, someone he admitted he still texts with and has a relationship with. He only brought up questions that are undoubtedly circulating in the front office right now anyway.

With a good chance at landing a top-three pick and the chance at a franchise-altering player in Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, or Dylan Harper, the team needs to decide if Ball should be the centerpiece or someone else.

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