Trade rumors swirl around Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball as rookie Kon Knueppel makes an immediate impact in the 2025-26 NBA season. The Hornets are not actively seeking to move Ball but are waiting for their core to get healthy. Knueppel's strong start has provided a potential path to consider trading the injury-prone All-Star.
The Charlotte Hornets find themselves at a crossroads early in the 2025-26 NBA season, with trade speculation centering on guard LaMelo Ball. Reports indicate Ball is open to a trade, though he dismissed the rumors with a clown emoji on social media. According to Jake Fischer, the Hornets are not actively looking to move him soon and prefer to assess their core once healthy.
Injuries have hampered the team for years. Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges have been limited by health issues and a suspension, preventing a full evaluation of the group's potential. Over Ball's six seasons with Charlotte, the team has not reached the playoffs and has only one winning record, a 43-39 mark in his sophomore year when he earned his sole All-Star nod and played 75 games.
Since then, ankle injuries have restricted Ball to fewer than 50 games in each of the last three seasons, including six missed games this year. Despite his electric scoring—capable of 25-plus points and near triple-doubles—Ball has played just 20 more career games than Zion Williamson, raising concerns about his durability.
Enter Kon Knueppel, selected fourth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke. Through the first month, Knueppel leads all rookies in scoring, ranks fifth in rebounds, and is on pace to break the rookie three-point record. With Ball sidelined, Knueppel has handled more on-ball duties, showing scoring off the dribble and a 62% finishing rate at the rim—better than All-Stars Cade Cunningham and Ja Morant. His versatility with or without the ball highlights his potential beyond a role player.
While Knueppel's emergence strengthens the roster, Ball's contract exceeds $40 million annually for the next three years. The Hornets may explore trading him for draft picks, especially with a promising 2026 draft ahead, allowing Ball a fresh start elsewhere.