And just like that, the Charlotte Hornets offseason just got hit with a Shams bomb. Shortly after the second round of the NBA Draft ended, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that 'multiple teams are strongly pursuing LaMelo Ball right now, and the Hornets are engaged' in those discussions. Ball is coming off the best season of his young career where he averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in 72 games. The games played part is arguably the most important as LaMelo had missed significant time in each of the prior three seasons due to a myriad of ankle and wrist injuries. Charlotte finished the season with the league's fifth best offense (per Cleaning the Glass) and Ball was the main driver of their success. The Hornets offense improved by 11.6 points per 100 possessions with Ball on the floor, making him one of the most impactful offensive engines in the league. His creative playmaking and parking lot range make him an impossible puzzle for opposing defenses to solve, and Charles Lee's ball screen-heavy attack suited Ball's otherworldly talent beautifully. Why Would Charlotte Trade LaMelo Ball Now? This question is tough to answer. The Hornets won 44 games last season, their most since the franchise's last playoff berth in 2016, and according to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, sources say Ball 'has been looking forward to this upcoming season to build off of Charlotte's momentum from 2025-26."The main reason I could see Charlotte wanting to move Ball right now is that the mercurial point guard may be at the peak of his value. Rewind to November of 2025, and remember that Ball was being discussed with players like Ja Morant (who Memphis still can't find a deal for) and Trae Young (who essentially got salary dumped by Atlanta before finding a long-term home in Washington). Could Jeff Peterson be looking to sell high on LaMelo before he ends up missing more time with another ankle injury? That's a risky proposition. Ball is clearly the most talented player on the Hornets, and it will be nearly impossible to aggregate his impact via trade or internal development. My read on this situation is that Charlotte has been listening to offers and LaMelo's agency has heard the rumblings. Every insider is reporting that Ball wants to remain in Charlotte - that news wouldn't be coming from sources inside the Hornets' organization. Charania believes that there could be a resolution to the situation in 24-48 hours, so keep it locked to Hornets on SI for what may wind up being one of the most consequential trades in Charlotte history. Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte HornetsAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow