LaMelo Ball hits back at trade talk: “When it gets too big, you gotta say something”
It’s been a difficult start to the season for the Charlotte Hornets but the young star denied that he is looking for a way out.
LaMelo Ball is now in his sixth season in the NBA but is still yet to make a postseason appearance with the Charlotte Hornets.
The 24-year-old point guard has impressed in patches with the Hornets, notably winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2021. But he has fallen short of the levels that saw him taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Earlier this week reports emerged claiming that Ball was becoming frustrated with the teams lack of success and was open to trade offers from elsewhere. Ball was quizzed on those reports following team practice on Friday but insisted that he was committed to the team.
“I love being here,” Ball said. “I ain’t saying nothing. I’m just trying to win, that’s it. That’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
LaMelo Ball addressed yesterday’s headlines during media availability, saying “The source didn’t come from me. It’s falso info.”
— Jeremy Grandison (@JeremyGrandiso1) November 21, 2025
Ball was later asked if he’s content being in Charlotte, to which he responded “I love being here”. @SteveReedAP with the Q. Full answer here. pic.twitter.com/BEWffYWNgZ
A report from Yahoo Sports claimed that anonymous sources had linked Ball with a move away from Charlotte. That story was shared by Ball on Thursday, along with a clown emoji.
“He never heard that come from me, so the source is not from me,” Ball said, referencing the piece. “So it’s just false info.”
“When [the rumors] get too big, you know, you gotta say something,” Ball said. “It was so much that it was making headlines in Bleacher Report and this and that, so I didn’t want it to keep going on.”
Whatever Ball’s ambitions, the 4-11 Hornets have made an underwhelming start to the new season. Ball became the first max contract player in team history when he signed a $260 million deal in July 2023 and head coach Charles Lee said that the 24-year-old is committed to the team.
Lee said: “He understands what it’s going to take to try to win and who we need in the building and stuff, so I think that he is just committed to Charlotte. He’s talked about how much he loves the city and the fans, and that’s all I ever heard and that’s all I focus on.”
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