Hornets look to find a new identity after trading away face of the franchise LaMelo Ball – Spectrum News

Hornets look to find a new identity after trading away face of the franchise LaMelo Ball  Spectrum News

General manager Jeff Peterson said the moves aim for long-term success. Despite winning 44 games last season — a 25-game improvement over the 2024-25 season — the Hornets shook up their roster by trading Ball and Bridges after failing to reach the playoffs for the 10th straight season. Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson said the moves were made with building for long-term sustained success in mind. That meant adding draft capital. Charlotte is now stocked with draft picks in the coming years, but that won't help them much this season as they look to replace Ball's play-making ability and scoring production. Ball averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists per game last season while shooting 36.8% from 3-point range.

He had the second most 3s in the league (272) behind teammate Kon Knueppel (273). Coby White, acquired from Chicago in a midseason trade last year, is the starting point guard. Brandon Miller and Knueppel, the runner-up behind college teammate Cooper Flagg for NBA Rookie of the Year, will be asked to carry the majority of the scoring load. Miller battled through shoulder issues that limited him to 65 games last season, but was effective when on the floor averaging 20.2 points per game and shooting 38.3% from beyond the arc. Knueppel became the first rookie to lead the league in 3s