The Charlotte Hornets have been laughingstocks for most of the time since their inception in 2004, but they have at least a glimmer of hope thanks to LaMelo Ball.
The 21-year-old guard seems to have legitimate star potential, and he was recently given a new five-year contract extension that will be worth up to $260 million.
Some players may lose their motivation and edge after striking it rich with that type of contract, but Ball says he has some additional goals in mind.
He said in a video showing him signing his new extension, via NBA on ESPN, that he wants to make the All-NBA First-Team and win the league MVP award, but that he mainly wants to win.
✔️ All-NBA first team
✔️ MVP
✔️ WinLaMelo has his goals set after signing his max contract 😤
(via @hornets)pic.twitter.com/F9QILbUONR
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 6, 2023
Ball put up 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists a game this past season, and he seems to have ample room for improvement moving forward.
But if Ball wants to be on a winning team, he will need plenty of help.
Charlotte just finished with a 27-55 record, which was the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, and they have never won as many as 50 games in a single season during their current iteration.
They also haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 campaign, and it appears they’re about to lose wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who was their third-leading scorer this past season, in free agency.
The hope is that Brandon Miller, the No. 2 pick in last month’s draft, will turn into a star and give Ball a legitimate running mate, not to mention the Hornets another major building block.
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