The Charlotte Hornets look like a team without a clear direction right now.
They just moved on from PJ Washington and are likely to move on from Miles Bridges in the offseason, leaving them just two legitimate building blocks.
Nonetheless, as flashy as LaMelo Ball has been since he entered the league, his play hasn’t translated into winning basketball, and there have always been questions about his maturity and injury-proneness.
With that in mind, and after watching him for almost an entire season, NBA analyst Tony Jones seems to believe the Hornets would be better off trading Ball and building around Brandon Miller (Via NBA Central).
“I think [Brandon Miller] is the best player on the roster despite [LaMelo Ball’s] counting stats being superior to Miller’s…When I watch Miller play, I see a younger version of LA Clippers forward Paul George. As controversial as this will sound, I would trade Ball and build around Miller,” Jones said.
“I think [Brandon Miller] is the best player on the roster despite [LaMelo Ball’s] counting stats being superior to Miller’s…When I watch Miller play, I see a younger version of LA Clippers forward Paul George. As controversial as this will sound, I would trade Ball and build… pic.twitter.com/Br9ncHxpFm
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 25, 2024
Jones, like many other scouts and analysts, sees a 2.0 version of Paul George in Miller, and he thinks the team should make him the focal point of their project.
Truth be told, it would be hard to argue with that assessment.
There are major and glaring similarities between George’s and Miller’s game, and while Miller isn’t all the way there yet on the defensive end of the floor, he definitely has all the tools to become an elite two-way player.
As for Ball, even with his history of injuries, there should be no shortage of teams intrigued by the possibility of making a move for him, and he could fetch a very decent return.
Whether the Hornets will move on from Ball and build around their young forward remains to be seen, but it’s not as far-fetched as it could sound at first.
NEXT: Hornets Are Making Notable Front Office Change