LaMelo Ball may quickly be going down the Ja Morant route of discontent.
The Charlotte Hornets star Ball has some issues with head coach Charles Lee, according to a claim this week by ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins. During an episode of the “Road Trippin’” podcast, Perkins said that Ball and Lee do not see eye-to-eye and even claimed that Ball recently had a profane outburst over a decision that was made by Lee.
“The Hornets is gonna have to make a decision — it’s either trade LaMelo or fire the coach,” said Perkins. “Those two guys don’t see eye-to-eye. I’m telling you straight up, this is a fact. The energy is not good. The coach, he feels as if LaMelo is not his guy.
“My sources tell me that LaMelo, after a [recent] game, he yelled in the hallway, and I quote, ‘F–k this motherf–ker,” Perkins added. “The coach! They’re not on the same page. Period. One gotta go, either the coach or LaMelo.”
Lee, the former NBA champion assistant for the Boston Celtics, is now in his second season as head coach of the Hornets. As for the former All-Star Ball, he is in his sixth season with Charlotte and has had three different head coaches already (James Borrego, Steve Clifford, and Lee).
Still only 24 years old, Ball’s numbers are down slightly this season (20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game). He was also brought off the bench by Lee during a recent game against the Indiana Pacers (while still on a minutes restriction after coming back from another ankle injury).
After Charlotte’s horrific 19-63 finish last season, Lee publicly challenged Ball to get better. Ball has even had to respond to rumors this season about him supposedly being unhappy with the Hornets, so it makes sense that he might not exactly have the best working relationship with his second-year head coach Lee.
