LaMelo Ball releases ‘false information’ amid swirling trade rumors

Charlotte Hornets star rush LaMelo Ball lost some time in application rejection who claimed to be open for trade amid “frustrations” with the organization. The 2022 All-Star and former Rookie of the Year posted a clown emoji after the story began circulating, but he gave more details about it Friday afternoon. The ball he publicly reiterated his loyalty to the franchise that drafted him back in 2020.

“He never heard that from me,” the 24-year-old point guard said, per Fourcast Sports’ Jeremy Grandison, citing an article by Kelly Ico on Yahoo Sports. “The source is not from me. It’s false information… I love being here. I’m just trying to win, that’s it… I’m still confident in this whole group and everything here, so I’m in it.”

LaMelo Ball addressed yesterday’s headlines during a media availability, saying “The source didn’t come from me. It’s false information.”

Ball was later asked if he was happy to be in Charlotte, to which he replied, “I love being here.” @SteveReedAP with K. Here is the full answer. pic.twitter.com/BEVffIVNgZ

— Jeremy Grandison (@JeremyGrandiso1) November 21, 2025

Hornets fans probably needed to hear Ball reaffirm his loyalty, but skepticism will certainly remain. Even if the former No. 3 overall pick isn’t looking for a trade at this point, one has to wonder how long this marriage will last. Charlotte (4-11) has lost seven of its last eight games, quickly falling behind in what should be an opportunity-filled Eastern Conference. This is still a young team, but visible progress is expected, not required.

So far, despite being a rookie Can Knuppel’s stellar startThe Hornets remain stagnant. The pains of his own struggles only add to the concerns about the team. He is scoring 21.6 points per game on an ineffective 38.5 percent shooting through nine games. His bad habit of attempting reckless buckets is worse than ever, making him a liability at times. His talent is undeniable, as evidenced by the 9.6 assists and 1.4 steals he’s averaging this season, but he needs to be much more disciplined on the floor.

Otherwise, Charlotte will fail to take the next step in her rebuild. Aside from what LaMelo Ball wants, the Hornets need to feel comfortable with No. 1 leading them for years to come. According to him, however, both sides are apparently on the same page for now.