JULY 6: The Hornets and Ball have officially finalized their deal, with the team issuing a press release to confirm the signing.
JULY 1: The Hornets and LaMelo Ball are finalizing a five-year designated rookie extension that will be worth the maximum salary, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Agent Sam Permut tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) that the two sides have reached an agreement.
Ball’s starting salary on the new deal will pay him at least 25% of the 2024/25 cap. Charania’s report suggests there will be Rose Rule language that could increase that figure to 30% of the cap if Ball earns All-NBA honors next season.
The exact value of the contract will depend on where the ’24/25 cap lands and whether Ball meets the Rose Rule criteria, but even in a worst-case scenario, it will be worth well north of $200MM. In a best-case scenario (30% starting salary, 10% cap increase), it would be worth $260MM.
Charlotte selected the 6’7″ point guard with the third overall pick in the 2020 draft. He immediately emerged as a lethal and creative scorer all over the floor, and was named the 2020/21 Rookie of the Year despite being limited to just 51 out of 72 possible games (31 starts) in his first season due to injuries.
Ailments have been a recurring theme in Ball’s young career, outside of a relatively healthy 75-game run in 2021/22, during which he made his first All-Star team as an injury replacement.
A right ankle fracture ended his 2022/23 campaign early. He played in just 36 contests for the 27-55 Hornets. When Ball did play last year, he remained his stellar statistical self, though it didn’t particularly contribute to winning. He notched 23.3 PPG on .411/.376/.836 shooting splits, 8.4 APG, 5.4 RPG and 1.3 SPG.
Charlotte is undergoing some major changes this summer. The team selected highly-touted Alabama forward Brandon Miller, widely considered to be another All-Star caliber prospect, using the second pick in this year’s draft. Former longtime majority owner Michael Jordan also sold most of his shares in the club to a new ownership group, led by tech investor Ian Loring and several notable North Carolinians. The Hall of Famer will still retain a stake in the franchise moving forward.
HUGE W for the Hornets franchise
LaMelo Ball is a young stud!!!! He just needs to get healthy and lock in on defense.
Rank the following ways to cook a frozen pizza in order of preference…explain your reasoning, if possible….
air fryer, toaster oven, microwave, dashboard of a hot car, conventional oven, hot summer asphalt, brick oven , campfire
1) dashboard of hot car
2) hot summer asphalt
3) microwave
4) toaster oven
5) air fryer ( never tried)
6) campfire
7) conventional oven
8) brick oven
HUGE L for the Hornets…
They will regret this
A little too early for such a huge pay-day imo. Hopefully his play doesn’t dip now that he secured the bag. He hasn’t even led them to win a play-in game win yet.
His play wasn’t even top 25 in the league…
Certainty too early…
His pay will be 25% of the cap? That’s just shocking to read. I guess it’s happening League wide. Attach on Hayward and a team like Charlotte, with no thought of contending this year, is strapped.
Yeah it makes little sense to tie up so much of the cap to a player that is outside of the top 25 in the league…
Let alone an iniury prone one…
If Charlotte flips him in a season or 2, and he can remain relatively healthy then I think this is a good deal for both sides.
It is paying for could-be talent, and not on court production, or even both combined.
Makes me wonder if its a partial apology for the injury scrum last season with the Hornets medical team
I hear the Hornets may try to bring Grant Williams back home to CLT.. hopefully that provides a lil daylight for my Hawks to get Miles Bridges as a cheaper John Collins replacement
I’d be happy if it worked out that way. I’d rather have Grant Williams than Bridges.
Hornets intent on not seeing the playoffs…
A fringe all star getting the max will hamper their team building as they look for a proper star…
The fact that Ball is injury prone just makes it even worse for the Hornets… Ball ain’t having no Embiid level MVP run…
None of Ball’s injuries are indicative of reoccurring problems or future injuries, he’s just had some bad luck. He’s also played way better than a “fringe” all-star.
I’m a Hornets fan and I’m estatic to see this deal get done!
LOL bad luck…
Not even close. He’s wreckless
He’s wreckless?! Lol
Ok. Sure. Right. That’s a take, I guess.
What choice do they have? He is the only hope that they have, scary!
Honestly, this max is the least of their problems in the grand scheme of things. Jordan needs to sell and the front office needs a complete overhaul. Until those things change it’s all moot.
They could trade for draft picks and find some real hope…
I hear the Hawks just traded for TyTy Washington & Usman Garuba. I’m guessing it’s Rudy Gay goin out
This is why guys like Wiseman and Kuminga are unhappy. They just wanna go somewhere where they can get the max rookie extension. This was one of the main reason why Warriors signed Poole to $123m extension last yr. They wanted young players to work hard and have faith that the organization will take care of them. Both Moody and Kuminga are going to want assurances(extension) soon.
His body cannot hold up with the way he abuses it. There is a reason “flashy” players always end up injured, they go beyond what the body is capable of handling. Good for him getting paid, bad for a franchise that continues to be a bottom dweller.
Was it “flashy” when PJ Washington landed on Ball’s ankle?
Was it “flashy” when LaMelo accidentally stepped on a fan’s foot?
You’re trying too hard to make a point that just isn’t true. You just hate “flashy” players, that about right?
Definitely headed down the Rose path…
And his family isn’t exactly the picture of health either…
Hornets could well have a Brandon Roy situation on their hands…