We have reached the conclusion of the 2022-23 NBA regular season, and this is the week in which rumors begin flying about which big names are unhappy in their current situations and which ones potentially want out. Names like Luka Dončić and Damian Lillard have already been thrown around, and you might be able to add LaMelo Ball to the list as early as next season.
Hornets Coach Says Team Must Win To Keep LaMelo Ball
Steve Clifford said today at the Hornets season-ending news conference that it is "critical" for the organization to start winning now if it wants to keep point guard LaMelo Ball around. Ball has not made the playoffs in his first 3 seasons.
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) April 10, 2023
The Charlotte Hornets have been middling around the edge of the playoff picture for the better part of the last 7 years, their most successful season coming in 2021-22 when they finished four games over .500. But they have been mostly a failure during the three seasons that Ball has been a part of the franchise, and they finished this season with the 4th-worst record in the entire league.
According to their coach, their star player could want out if the team doesn’t start winning some time very soon.
LaMelo Ball played in just 36 games last season due to injury, so the struggles of the team could be attributed to the health and roster problems. But in a post-season exit interview on Monday, coach Steve Clifford gave voice to possible frustrations that Ball could be feeling.
“He badly wants to win. When you’re at his level, there are certain expectations. You’re going to be compared to the other point guards his age that have had not incredible playoff success but have had some. It’s important to his career.”
Ball Missed Time Last Season Due To Injury — Still Recovering
While Ball hasn’t come out and said anything publicly or shown any disinterest in being in Charlotte, he gave some form of confirmation to Clifford’s comments.
“For sure, the main thing is winning,” Ball said. “Life is better when you win.”
LaMelo Ball on his future in Charlotte: "Play it by the day. Like I said I love it out here. I can't really tell the future, just see how it goes & go from there."
"The main thing is winning. Life is better when you win."
(Via @stevereedap) pic.twitter.com/YtbXpCYMJa
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 10, 2023
Fortunes could change for the franchise shortly. Finishing with one of the league’s worst records gives the Hornets a shot at one of the best basketball prospects that the game as ever seen. The bottom four teams will be given an equal shot in next month’s draft lottery, and nabbing the rights to Victor Wembanyama would likely be enough to get Ball to stay put.
“I love it here,” Ball said when asked about his future with the team. “I can’t really tell the future. We’ll just see how it goes and go from there.”
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