Hornets Reportedly Eye Veteran PG to Back Up LaMelo Ball amid NBA Free Agency Rumors

The Charlotte Hornets are eyeing a veteran point guard to add depth behind fifth-year player LaMelo Ball as NBA free agency rumors swirl, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Fischer also noted that Sacramento, Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams engaged in daily talks to address point guard needs this summer.

The Hornets finished last season 19-63, the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, with Ball limited to just 47 games. In those appearances, he averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds over 32 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-7 point guard has struggled with injuries since 2022, appearing in only 36 games that year, 22 the following season and 47 last year.

Charlotte has minimal depth at the backup point guard spot, with Tre Mann currently listed second on the depth chart, averaging 3.0 assists and Vasilije Micic in third.

A veteran presence could prove crucial heading into next season, as the Hornets held the fourth-youngest average age at the point guard position (23.2).

The Hornets are set in the youth department after drafting Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Sion James, UConn’s Liam McNeeley and Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner in the 2025 NBA Draft. With those additions, the team now shifts its focus to what moves for veterans can be made ahead of the upcoming season.