Tag: LaMelo Ball

Can Scoot Henderson and LaMelo Ball play together or will the Hornets select Brandon Miller?

Some NBA executives believe Henderson and Ball would have a ‘suboptimal fit’ in Charlotte.

Victor Wembanyama will almost definitely hear his name called at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, but it’s unclear who goes at No. 2 overall.

Scoot Henderson was long considered the second-best prospect in this class, and Wembanyama has said that the G League Ignite star would be the NBA’s top prospect in any other class. Henderson thrived when he suited up as a pro, even during two thrilling exhibition matchups against Wembanyama.

However, despite a poor performance for Alabama during March Madness, some analysts believe that freshman forward Brandon Miller may actually hear his name called with the No. 2 overall pick when the Charlotte Hornets are on the clock.

Mitch Kupchak, the president of basketball operations for the Hornets, was asked if Charlotte would still select a guard even though they already have LaMelo Ball.

Here is what Kupchak said:

“We’re getting a lot more advanced at putting this team together. I think three years ago or even two years ago, I would have said without question that we are going to take the best available player. That’s been our decision for the last three or four years when we’re trying to accumulate talent. I don’t think we’re where we need to be from a talent level but we’ve got a lot more talent now than we did two or three years ago. So I think we can be a little bit picky and take into consideration not only the overall talent but also position.”

Kupchak suggested that they will take a player’s position into consideration, which is important to note considering Charlotte has such a high-usage guard on the roster. Ball’s usage rate (32.1 percent) ranked 89th percentile among all point guards last season, per Cleaning The Glass.

Ball finished 41.0 percent of his offensive finishes as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll sets, per Synergy Sports. An additional 10.1 percent were as the ball-handler in transition and 7.4 percent were in isolation.

So what would it look like to have Henderson on the roster as well?

There are some elements that could work fairly smoothly, like Henderson’s ability to find Ball for easy catch-and-shoot looks.

Henderson had the highest usage rate (26.8 percent) of anyone on the G League Ignite, and he maximizes his talent with the ball in his hands. He looked to score more often than pass during pick-and-roll sets, and he is someone who you want as a primary initiator on offense.

43.7 percent of Henderson’s offensive finishes were as the ball-handler in pick and roll. An additional 12.4 percent were as the ball-handler in transition and 5.9 percent were against his man one-on-one in isolation.

Effectively, last season, both players finished with the ball in their hands on approximately 60 percent of their possessions. If they’re in the same lineup, one of them would have to sacrifice some touches.

NAME PnR (Ball Handler) Transition (Ball Handler) Isolation
LaMelo Ball 41.0 percent 10.1 percent 7.4 percent
Scoot Henderson 43.7 percent 12.4 percent 5.9 percent

According to Jake Fischer, executives believe Henderson and Ball would have a “suboptimal fit” in Charlotte (via Yahoo Sports):

“Charlotte jumping to the second pick, up from the fourth-best odds, brings an interesting dilemma and what some league personnel consider a suboptimal fit between Henderson and incumbent All-Star guard LaMelo Ball.”

They can absolutely play alongside one another, but will you get the best version you’re going to get from either of them if you take the ball out of their hands?

Perhaps pairing Ball with Henderson would work if they also had great spacing and both were elite shooters from beyond the arc. Henderson, however, shot just 27.5 percent on 3-pointers last season in the G League.

Neither Ball nor Henderson is known for making a tremendous defensive impact, but Miller is a 6-foot-9 wing who has good size for his position. Miller, a consensus All-American and SEC Player of the Year, also made 40.4 percent of his 3-pointers during the regular season for Alabama.

Next to the 6-foot-7 Ball, he would give Charlotte impressive length and scoring on the perimeter. He can create his own shot off the bounce in the pick and roll and in isolation, too, but he is also productive when the offense doesn’t run through him.

While at Alabama, he also scored well on spot-up possessions and when using off-ball screens and dribble handoffs. His jumper was efficient off the catch and he can develop into a pick-and-pop threat with Ball as well.

Miller’s shooting gravity could help expand Ball’s offensive prowess and pass creation.

Charlotte had the second-worst 3-point percentage and the fourth-worst 3-pointers made last season. With one of the best jumpers in the class, Miller could immediately bolster that next season.

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Paul George says Lonzo is more talented than LaMelo

The Clippers All-Star showed some love to the Ball brothers on his podcast.

Watching Lonzo Ball on the basketball court has been hard to come by over the last two seasons for the Chicago Bulls.

Ball has battled through a left knee injury that has seen pain and discomfort linger, forcing the Bulls point guard into two additional procedures, with the latest potentially leaving him on the sideline for the entire 2023-24 season.

And yet, Lonzo is still getting shown love from his peers. On the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, the Clippers All-Star chose Lonzo over his brother, LaMelo, in who was more talented.

“I would say Lonzo’s more pure talent than LaMelo,” George said. “What can’t Lonzo do? He can guard. He can shoot. He can play-make. His IQ. He can rebound great for his position. What can’t Lonzo Ball do?”

One of George’s co-host’s didn’t tend to agree but George stood his ground in defending Lonzo’s talent.

Check out the full clip below.

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Michael Jordan’s Hornets now have the NBA’s longest playoff drought after Kings make postseason

Maybe the Hornets should try lighting a beam to turn things around.

The Sacramento Kings, who are good now, no longer have the longest active playoff drought in major American professional sports.

As my colleague, Mike Sykes, wrote: Sacramento might suddenly be a legitimate threat to make the NBA Finals. Now that the Kings have officially clinched their first playoff berth since 2006, the New York Jets have taken over as the team that can’t quite make it to the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have taken over that title from the Kings in the NBA. Led by Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum, the Hornets last earned a spot in the playoffs back in 2017.

Of course, an appearance in 2017 is far more recent than Sacramento’s previous record in 2006.

But it’s still not a good look for the Hornets. It’s especially bad when you remember the Hornets are a team (presently) owned by Michael Jodan, a player considered the greatest of all time.

Jordan is reportedly in “serious talks” to sell a majority stake in the franchise to Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall.

If the transaction happens, hopefully, the new ownership group can help turn this team around. Charlotte is currently borderline negligent when it comes to roster management.

Jordan has looked dejected by the organization recently and a change could be necessary so they don’t remain on the outside looking in at the contenders in the Eastern Conference.

The good news is that they have decent odds to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and could then select Victor Wembanyana. As five-time NBA Champion Magic Johnson told For The Win, the prospect is the type of prospect who could change his franchise forever.

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The negligent Hornets need to sign someone (Carmelo Anthony?!) to avoid further embarrassment

Why not give a shot to a G Leaguer or a veteran like Carmelo Anthony?!

The Charlotte Hornets somehow played an NBA game with, at one point, zero players on their bench. It was absolutely pathetic.

My colleague, Prince Grimes, pointed out how Charlotte’s empty bench perfectly encapsulated how thin their roster is right now.

Charlotte’s inactive list included LaMelo Ball (ankle surgery), Cody Martin (left knee soreness). Mark Williams (right thumb sprain), Theo Maledon (G League assignment), and James Bouknight (G League assignment). But then matters only got worse.

Terry Rozier left the game with right foot discomfort, Kelly Oubre left with a right shoulder strain, and Dennis Smith Jr. left with a non-COVID illness.

It is one thing to put your team in the best position to land the No. 1 overall pick and select Victor Wembanyama. To trot out an empty bench, however, is fully negligent and inexcusable.

The reason why this is so problematic, as noted by RealGM’s Keith Smith: The Hornets have a vacant roster spot as well as an open slot for a two-way player.

There are truly countless players who would love the opportunity to help provide some depth on the bench for Charlotte. One name that immediately comes to mind is 10-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony.

The Hornets, owned (for now) by Michael Jordan, should at least consider making the move. After all, the former NBA scoring champion signed with Jordan Brand in 2003 and had a signature shoe with the company for nearly two decades.

(Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Jordan Brand)

Anthony has said he has “never” ruled out a potential comeback and had a “dialogue” about playing for the Nets earlier this season. Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and former NBA head coach Mike Woodson have all recently said Anthony is still able to contribute. Here is more from CP3:

“Somebody of that caliber, with that ability, with the heart that he has, and the stuff he’s done for the game – he should be able to walk off the court when he’s ready.”

For what it is worth: It is possible that the organization may be leaving an open roster spot for Miles Bridges, who played for the Hornets from 2018 until 2022. Bridges is reportedly expected to face a significant suspension if and when he returns to an NBA franchise.

The 25-year-old forward pled no contest to felony domestic violence charges in November 2022 and was sentenced to three years of probation without jail time. However, he anticipates he will return to the team.

Still, as noted by Smith, the Hornets do not actually have to save a roster spot for Bridges. They could simply start “cycling” players through 10-day deals for the final stretch of the season. Smith continued:

“There is no reason at all for a bad team that is a mile from the luxury tax to sit on open roster spots late in the season. Just being cheap. They should be bringing players in on 10 days and filling the Two-Way. Churn the bottom of the roster and see if you can find a diamond.”

It makes no sense at all for a rebuilding organization like Charlotte’s to only have one player on a two-way deal. How is there nobody on their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, worthy of some developmental minutes in the NBA?

They don’t even need to see the floor so much as they need to be available in case of in-game injuries! Why not give an opportunity to someone on their G League roster like Jalen Crutcher, Kobi Simmons, Xavier Sneed, or Jaylen Sims?

The Hornets have one of the cheapest rosters in the NBA and there is no reason at all to have an empty roster spot and an empty two-way spot. They need to address this immediately before it becomes even more embarrassing to the league.

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Kevin Durant’s points prop for his Suns debut is eerily small, but there’s a reason for that

What to know before hammering the over on Durant’s points prop.

At last, Kevin Durant is expected to make his return Wednesday from an MCL sprain that has sidelined him since Jan. 8 when he was still with the Brooklyn Nets.

His debut with the Phoenix Suns will come against the Charlotte Hornets, a bottom-four team in the NBA that just lost star point guard LaMelo Ball to an ankle fracture. Phoenix is favored on the road by 9.5 points, making it the perfect tune-up game for Durant and his new teammates.

With how seamless of a game Durant has, I don’t expect a very long adjustment period. Neither does the betting public, hammering the over on a strangely low 20.5-points prop line at BetMGM.

However, there’s a reason why Durant’s line is nine points lower than his 29.7 season average.

For starters, Durant will be on a minutes restriction and we don’t know exactly what that looks like. If he’s playing 30 minutes rather than his typical 36, the over is still a given. But it could also be closer to 20-25 minutes, which changes things a bit.

Then, there’s also the potential for a blowout, which could further eat into his minutes if key players get to rest in the second half. The Suns don’t need 21 points from Durant to beat the Hornets, though he could score that many points in his sleep if he wants.

And that’s the last part. What’s Phoenix’s plan? Do they want to feed Durant and let him get into a scoring rhythm early? Or do they want him to just go through the motions to get a feel for a new system?

If you’re going to bet on this prop, you definitely take the over because you almost never get a line this low for Durant, who only has four games all year with fewer than 21 points. But the number of variables at play leave me inclined to lay off this action.

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LaMelo Ball ran so many red lights outside the Hornets’ arena that there’s a compilation of it

This isn’t cool. At all.

LaMelo Ball has grown up in the spotlight. He took the most unconventional route to the NBA, which included stints in Lithuania and Australia. But that unique path to the NBA also came with the perks of being a basketball superstar: tons of nice cars.

Fast forward six years, and LaMelo’s car game has only elevated. Yet, the Hornets might want a word with their star point guard about his driving habits because, uh, red lights mean stop.

One user on Twitter put together a compilation of LaMelo leaving the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. His cars included a couple Ferrari’s and a Bentley. And in almost every clip LaMelo either blew through a red light or cut off another car.

LaMelo drives exactly like you’d expect LaMelo to drive, and that’s not a good thing. He really needs to stop at red lights. It’s literally endangering himself and others. At this point, it’s pure luck that nothing bad has happened thus far.

NBA fans also had thoughts on LaMelo’s driving habits.

Dirty dozen: Despite Jalen Green’s 41 points, Hornets saddle Rockets with NBA’s longest losing streak

Despite Jalen Green tying his career-high with 41 points, the #Rockets have now lost 12 straight games, representing the NBA’s longest losing streak this season.

Despite 41 points by Jalen Green on Wednesday, the Houston Rockets lost their 12th straight game, the NBA’s longest losing streak this season. They’ve lost 17 of 18 games, overall, after a 122-117 setback (box score) versus the lowly Charlotte Hornets.

Charlotte (12-34) entered as the NBA’s second-worst team, on paper, and they lost superstar guard LaMelo Ball midway through the game with an injury. Even so, led by 26 points from Terry Rozier, the Hornets still had too much for lifeless Houston (10-35), which saw Jabari Smith Jr. leave early with a right ankle injury.

Notable statistics for the Rockets, who were again without Kevin Porter Jr. due to a left foot injury, included:

  • Jalen Green: 41 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers; 16-of-24 shooting (66.7%), 4-of-10 on 3-pointers (40%)
  • Alperen Sengun: 24 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals; 10-of-16 shooting (62.5%)

No other Houston player scored more than 11 points. Green’s total of 41 tied his career high.

Scroll on for Wednesday’s highlights, analysis and postgame interview reaction from Toyota Center. Houston returns to action Saturday night in Minnesota, with tipoff at 7 p.m. Central.

Re-ranking the 23 best NBA players under 23 years old, with a new star emerging at No. 1

None of these guys have even had their Jordan Year yet??

The next generation of NBA stars is incredibly promising, and many of them are still young enough to be undergraduate students in college.

Now that the NBA’s 2022-23 season is more than halfway done, we’ve decided to re-rank the 23 best players who are under 23 years old. But why 23? Well, it is not just because that was the number worn by Michael Jordan.

Typically, NBA publications rank 25 players under 25 years old. You can read versions of that here, here, and here. I wanted to try a similar thought experiment, but U25 was too much of a challenge because it is such a wide population.

By the time NBA players are 25 years old, many have already graduated to their second contract and are in vastly different chapters of their careers than the league’s young players. It is harder to compare players like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum, who will each earn more than $30 million next season, to players on rookie scale contracts.

This story was originally published before the season began, and you can see each player’s previous ranking below their name.

For this exercise, all players included must be born after Feb. 1, 2000. We chose that date because the listed age on Basketball Reference is how old a player is on Jan. 31 of each season.

Additionally, the following rankings are based on performance so far this season, and it is not predictive of their future success or their potential in the league.

NOTE: That means players like Darius Garland (who was born on Jan. 26, 2000) and Cade Cunningham or Chet Holmgren (who are injured for the season) were excluded. 

LaVar Ball says son LaMelo will never play for the Lakers

LaVar Ball, the shameless and loquacious father of former Laker Lonzo Ball, made it clear he doesn’t want LaMelo Ball to come to L.A.

When the Los Angeles Lakers took Lonzo Ball with the second pick in the 2017 NBA draft, there was a massive amount of hype around him. Some fell for the hype, thinking Ball would become the next Lakers superstar.

That hype, of course, came from his father, LaVar Ball, who famously claimed Lonzo Ball was better than Stephen Curry, who was already a two-time league MVP and champion at that time.

The younger ball Ball didn’t pan out. After two disappointing seasons in L.A., the team shipped him out in the Anthony Davis trade. Since then, the younger Ball has improved his 3-point shooting, but the rest of his game hasn’t grown, and he has struggled to stay healthy.

The elder Ball once said he wanted all three of his sons — Lonzo, LaMelo and LiAngelo — to play for the Lakers. Now it appears he’d prefer that none of them suit up for the Purple and Gold.

Via Complex.com:

“Common sense would tell you, hell no,” the elder Ball responded when asked if he would want LaMelo Ball to play for the Lakers. “You did something to my boy Lonzo, and you think I’m going to come back with the others? I gotta be stone-cold crazy.”

The Lakers are obviously canvassing the league for trade options, and LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Hornets have been rumored to be a potential trade partner. However, logic would suggest there is no chance the Hornets would get rid of him, as he’s their best player and possibly a superstar in the making.

The Lakers will get a close look at him when they host Charlotte on Friday evening.

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LiAngelo Ball signs with Hornets, but will he ever actually make his NBA debut?

LiAngelo shot less than 20% on 3-pointers in NBA 2K23 Summer League.

The Hornets have reportedly signed LiAngelo Ball to a non-guaranteed deal, and he will be on their training camp roster.

LiAngelo, whose older brother is Bulls guard Lonzo and whose younger brother is Hornets guard LaMelo, went undrafted in 2018. The 6-foot-5 guard has previously had opportunities with the Pistons and the Thunder, but he has still yet to appear on the court during an NBA game.

Last season, LiAngelo played fairly well for the Hornets during Las Vegas summer league. He shot 34.5% on 3-pointers, averaging 12 attempts per 36 minutes, and he signed a contract with the franchise. He reported to camp, but he was waived the next day.

Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, selected LiAngelo in the 2021 NBA G League Draft. He played 28 games last season, including 6 in the starting lineup. He averaged 4.5 points and 0.2 assists per game.

LaMelo described how it felt to have his brother so close to him in Charlotte (via Charlotte Observer):

“It helps for sure,” Ball said. “That’s the dude I grew up with. I see Melo every day, talk to him every day. So that’s still my brother at the end of the day even though he’s in the league. But yeah, it’s cool having him there, man. “S—, feels like home for real. I don’t know how to describe it. It feels like home. When I’m in Charlotte, I’ll be kicking it with him, playing basketball, doing all that stuff. It’s always good having a brother in the NBA.”

LiAngelo played for the Hornets once again in NBA 2K23 Summer League, and it didn’t go as well. He shot just 18.2% on 3-pointers over the course of his three games in Las Vegas.

It is unlikely that LiAngelo will make the official roster for Charlotte next season. However, even though he has made headlines since his time at Chino Hills High School several years ago, he doesn’t turn 24 years old until later this year.

While the path to the NBA is much harder the older a player gets, there are plenty of players who have recently found their way to the floor in the pros at that age or older.

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