LaMelo Ball reacted on Thursday to a report saying he was open to a trade from the Charlotte Hornets with a single emoji.
On Thursday, Yahoo’s Kelly Iko reported that Ball was “increasingly frustrated” with the Hornets and open to a trade away from the team. The same report said the Hornets were open to trading Ball. The report said the Hornets were hesitant about making Ball their foundational player.
Ball decided to react to the trade report with a post on X. He posted a clown emoji in response to the report.
— Melo (@MELOD1P) November 20, 2025
That seems to be LaMelo’s way of dismissing the report and reporter. But it’s not far-fetched to think the Hornets might be ready to move on from him.
Ball was the No. 3 overall pick by the Hornets in 2020. He won Rookie of the Year in his first season and was an All-Star in his second NBA season, but he has struggled with injuries since then and hasn’t played in more than 47 games in any of the last three seasons.
LaMelo has averaged 21.1 points per game during his career and is averaging a career-high 9.6 assists per game this season. His shooting percentages are the worst of his career — 38.5 on field goals and 29.8 on three-pointers. The Hornets also entered Thursday with a 4-11 record. They have a .246 winning percentage since the 2023-2024 season, and are far away from contending.
