What would a LaMelo Ball trade package look like? Two mock trades involving Charlotte's superstar point guard

A pair of mock LaMelo Ball trades.

Matt Alquiza | 12 Hours Ago

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets should not trade LaMelo Ball. Full stop.

The fifth-year point guard is an indelible talent that brings eyes to Charlotte that would be diverted else where without the gravitational pull of his game and personality. Ball is the Hornets entire offense unto himself most nights, for better or for worse.

Charlotte's lone All-Star has (agruably rightfully) earned the label of a "good stats, bad team" player. His most recent performance, a ludicrously inefficient 32 point night against the Washington Wizards, was the full LaMelo Ball experience. He shot 3-18 from three, a microcosm of Charlotte's poor shooting night as a whole, and his array of misses effectively ended the Hornets chances at pulling out the win in our nation's capitol.

However, Ball also scored on drive after drive, and once Washington turned him into a facilitator, LaMelo dished assist after assist to both wide open and heavily covered teammates that revealed his top notch playmaking talent.

His Hornets currently boast a 7-21 record, tied for fourth worst in the league. Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee have fully committed to Charlotte's "core nucleus" of Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams, but what if they decided to move their point guard for a haul? Let's take a look at some past superstar trades and project a handful of potential moves for Ball.

Two superstar trades that could set the table for a LaMelo Ball deal

Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Donovan Mitchell

Utah Jazz receive: Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton (sign-and-trade), Lauri Markkanen, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 first-round swap, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round swap, 2029 first-round pick

New York Knicks receive: Mikal Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, 2026 second-round pick, draft rights to Pablo Vaulet

Brooklyn Nets receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick, 2028 first-round swap, 2025 top-four protected first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick.

Picks, picks, picks, and more picks. In the modern NBA, future draft capital has become everything. In any potential deal for LaMelo Ball, Charlotte should expect to add to their already burgeoning treasure trove of assets. Here are two potential trade options if Charlotte decides to trade their superstar point guard.

Trade #1: LaMelo Ball heads to a division rival

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This many be asking for too much in return from Orlando. In this potential swap, the Magic would send Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to match salaries, two young guards with legitimate upside potential in Anthony Black and Jett Howard, and a trio of future first round picks.

Orlando is a popular destination for potential superstar trades due to the flexibility that the contracts of their stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner allow them to flex. Adding LaMelo to their young core could be the move that elevates the Magic into the Eastern Conference's A-tier. The versatility of a Ball, Wagner, Banchero trio is exhilarating and a near-impossible trio for a defense to scheme for.

Realistically, Orlando would do their best to either send a pair of picks instead of a trio, OR keep one of Howard or Black. If I'm Charlotte, I'd push all of my chips in for Black and the bevy of picks. Black isn't anywhere near the scorer or shooter that Ball is, but he's a steady back court presence that could set up his teammates Brandon Miller and Mark Williams all over the floor.

Trade #2: LaMelo Ball goes West

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If Charlotte could pull this deal off I'd have a hard time complaining about it. The Hornets could use a wing enforcer like Brooks and a two-way projectable talent like Jabari Smith. This trade significantly lowers the Hornets 2024-25 ceiling, putting them in position to add another top-end guard talent in the 2025 Draft like Dylan Harper of Rutgers or Kasparas Jakučionis of Illinois.

For the Rockets, Ball could slot in as the go-to crunch-time scorer they desperately lack. Houston's offensive deficiencies were on display for the world to see in their NBA Cup semifinal loss to Oklahoma City. The Rockets lack a big-time offensive threat as they rely on a score-by-committee approach as a unit. Ball's otherworldly talent would be exactly what the doctor ordered for a Houston team with a high ceiling, but an equally low floor due to their lack of offense.