Rookie forward Brandon Miller is the main reason for optimism in Charlotte, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who suggests the Hornets should trade LaMelo Ball and build for the future around Miller.
Although Ball has better stats, Jones views Miller as having more overall impact because of his superior shooting combined with an ability to dribble and pass, along with his impact on defense. Jones sees Miller as a younger version of Paul George, which is a comparison that was made frequently when Miller was in college.
As Jones notes, injuries are the main concern for Ball, who signed a five-year extension last summer that will take effect in 2024/25. He has appeared in just 22 of Charlotte’s 56 games this season after being limited to 36 last year. Even so, Jones believes Ball has enough trade value to provide a nice return for the Hornets, who are also likely to land a top five pick in this year’s draft.
Jones believes Charlotte is headed in the right direction after bringing in Grant Williams, Seth Curry, Vasilije Micić and Tre Mann at the trade deadline. Each of those players brings something valuable to the roster, Jones adds, and Mann has excelled since becoming the team’s starting point guard.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Curry was thrilled to be traded to his hometown Hornets, and have his father, Dell, as one of the team’s broadcasters, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The whole family was together Friday night in San Francisco as Charlotte faced Stephen Curry‘s Warriors. “It’s special,” Seth Curry said. “When we are in the game, we are locked into the game, so it’s kind of like no different. But just to see him on the floor about to call the game and to see him afterwards it’s special. Because usually we only see him twice a year, four times a year or something like that. And for all three of us to be involved in one game, that’s history.”
- Interim coach Brian Keefe is experimenting with rotations for the Wizards, who dropped their 10th straight game Friday night, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. During the final part of the season, she expects the team to see what it has in Patrick Baldwin Jr., who was acquired from Golden State last summer, Johnny Davis, a 2022 lottery pick who has never been able to earn consistent playing time, and Eugene Omoruyi, who’s currently on a two-way contract but may be a strong candidate for a standard deal.
- Hawks guard Trae Young is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Orlando due to an injured finger on his left hand, tweets Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution.
Why would you trade LaMelo?
You don’t really need to trade a very good young player to build around another really good young player. All for the sake of what acquiring picks to draft in a young player that could be good?
Doesn’t make any sense to me.
If you think Miller is going to be the next PG then build around that. It doesn’t mean you need to trade away Ball. PG couldn’t do it all by himself in Indy so don’t try do that with Miller.
Id trade Bertans and Nick Smith Jr for Lonzo Ball.
Ideally you’d draft in Cody Williams
And in FA, I think Bridges is gone and so I’d look more for veterans and culture by bringing back Mason Plumblee and adding JaeSean Tate.
Lonzo LaMelo C.Williams Miller Williams
Mann Curry Tate G.Williams Plumblee
Micic McGowens Thor Martin Richards
Ball brothers share the backcourt if Lonzo can return well.
Lonzo is high IQ, good defensively, amazing passer, can hit open 3’s and has matured a lot. LaMelo can focus more on scoring and beating his defender than having to create for others and direct the team. The two would do well setting their teammates up and playing an exciting brand of basketball. Brandon Miller is gets to share the star role with LaMelo and Cody Williams I think is the perfect complementary starter with this group. He’s great defensively, doesn’t want to many touches, very efficient and should only get better over time.
Off the bench you’ve got playmaking in Mann, shooting in Curry, energy and defence in Tate, a good go to guy in Grant Williams and a nice vet in Plumblee who’s a fan favourite. Good passing, shooting and defending ability in the group.
Cha is a cap team so there’s zero need to pick up Bertans option –
The deal becomes 10x easier ( for both teams ) by just trading Lonzo into cap rather than strap Chi w Bertans
Yeah either or, not exactly sure how those particular deals work in the offseason
Uh, Lonzo will be lucky to walk straight and without pain, he is not playing in the NBA again.
He’s already walking straight, dudes already back in the gym putting up shots…
I always liked tre mann. Hope he continues to find some success