LaMelo Ball won’t practice this season, but what about the summer?

As Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball withstood the onslaught against different teams and continues to be an outstanding player, there could be some discussion about a potential future where he is not on the team past this season. With Ball is accomplishing various feats with the Hornetsthe latest reports surrounding the point guard suggest his future could be murky.

In the latest from ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, he talked about Charlotte this season and the expectation that Ball won’t be traded before the February deadline, but it’s “reasonable to believe” that a replacement will be sought.

“LaMelo Ball is expected to remain with the Charlotte Hornets through the end of the 2025-26 season, league sources told ClutchPoints,” Siegel wrote. “After that, his future will be discussed internally and it’s reasonable to believe the Hornets will look for his eventual replacement in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is loaded with young, athletic backcourt talent.”

“Brandon Miller and Kon Knuepel represent the future of this organization, and the Hornets are open to hearing about potential deals involving anyone outside of these two players. Colin Sexton has generated the most interest in Charlotte so far,” Siegel continued.

The Hornets’ LaMelo Ball had trade interest last offseason

While it’s early to think about teams that might be interested down the stretch, interest was reported from the Toronto Raptors last offseason, per Michael Scott of HoopsHipe.

“Speaking of trade interest, the Toronto Raptors checked Ball’s availability over the summer, league sources told HoopsHipe,” Scotto wrote on Dec. 18. “Ironically, Ball ran out of the tunnel with the Raptors before their game against the Hornets in Toronto on Dec. 5. Later in the game, since he was sidelined.”

It remains to be seen what Ball’s future holds with the Hornets as he is currently averaging 19.9 points, 7.8 assists and five rebounds per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field in 29 games.

Charlotte is 14-25, which puts them in 12th place in the East, and their next game comes against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.