Right now? Not at all. And for two reasons. The first being it’s too early to give up on a player with his kind of skills, paired with his global reach marketing wise. Ball’s offensive abilities are unquestioned and as he goes the Hornets go. They haven’t had a player like him and continuing to tap into his talents and vibrant personality can aid in their attempts to push the franchise to a different level. Plus, they haven’t seen what he can do in a full season just yet.

Secondly, even if the Hornets were ready to part company with Ball, they wouldn’t get back equal value in return due to the number of games he’s missed in four seasons and amount of money he’s owed on his max rookie contract extension. Ball needs to have at least one healthy season to convince any executive to put their job on the line and bring him on board considering his injury history.

So, no, LaMelo isn’t on his way out of town. He’s not going anywhere.

Hornets ownership

Whisper in the Wind asks on X: What signs of optimism can Hornets fans cling to that things will actually be different under new ownership/GM/coach going forward?

You mean besides Brandon Miller? It begins with the new owners. Undoubtedly, Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin have a different energy, a different enthusiasm, and have brought a totally new vibe to the organization since taking over last August. They’re usually seated in the front row at games taking in action mingling, which is preceded by earnest chats with players, fans and staff to get the gist of the atmosphere and what’s on people’s minds.

Schnall and Plotkin also have an aggressive mindset. They helped push the trades at the deadline back in February, particularly the PJ Washington deal. And that could bode well for a franchise that has to be smart, but also have a bold move that makes sense up their sleeve. Schnall and Plotkin also want to improve the guest experience, which is why renovations are taking place at Spectrum Center beginning this summer. Hey they have to have some reason to show for the increase in ticket prices right?

Miles Bridges’ future

Mike B. asks on X: Are they retaining Miles Bridges?

That’s the plan and definitely his hope. Although he’ll be an unrestricted free agent and can choose his destination, he reiterated during his exit interview that he doesn’t want to go anywhere else. And from this vantage point, given he’s said it to The Observer multiple times, Bridges’ is all in with the Hornets. Since the NBA is a business, though, there’s always the chance of a knee-buckling curveball and some other team offers him a boatload of money.

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