LaMelo Ball Reacts to Hornets Trade Rumors with Emoji in Social Media Post

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball seems to be pushing back against rumors he's considering seeking a trade after his team's 4-11 start to the 2025-26 season.

Ball added a clown emoji to a repost of an article from Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko, who wrote Thursday that Ball has "grown increasingly frustrated with the organization and is open to a trade away from the franchise."

Iko also wrote that "sources say the front office is increasingly hesitant about cementing Ball as a long-term foundational piece, has become disillusioned with the 24-year-old and is open to moving him."

Ball is currently playing under a minutes restriction amid a right ankle injury that has limited him during the early stretch of the season. He has still averaged 21.6 points, 9.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds through nine games.

Iko cited the offensive structure set up by Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who is heading into his second year at the helm, as part of the reason Ball is shooting a career-low 38.5 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from behind the arc so far this season.

He wrote that Lee "has attempted to implement a more deliberate offensive system, with more ball and player movement... in an evenly spaced attack" that is meant to help Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and rookie Kon Knueppel more than Ball.

Iko went on to write that Ball's potential trade value could be limited by his contract and his injury history.

The Hornets guard went into this season with more than $168 million and four seasons remaining on the five-year contract he signed in Charlotte ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Ball, who has a career-long history of issues with his right ankle, has also been sidelined for at least 25 games in each of his last three seasons heading into 2025-26.

He underwent season-ending surgery on his right ankle in March 2023, was shut down for the end of the following season in March 2024, and then underwent another season-ending procedure in March 2025.

He also underwent surgery on his right wrist this past March.

This season, it hasn't been only Ball dealing with injury in Charlotte. The Hornets are also attempting to cover for the injury absences of Brandon Miller, Josh Green and Grant Williams.

Even when Ball has been available, he's been limited since returning from his latest ankle setback. Since returning on Nov. 14, he sat out the second half of a back-to-back and has yet to play more than 28 minutes in a game.

Both the Hornets and Ball sounded positive about their relationship at the end of last season. Ball said during exit interviews that people "telling me to go somewhere" didn't bother him.

But both Lee and general manager Jeff Peterson stressed during their own exit interviews how important it would be for Ball to make a healthy start to the 2025-26 campaign.

The Hornets might not be able to make a full evaluation of this team with Ball limited and Miller sidelined by a shoulder injury. If Lee's offense continue to struggle when both Ball and Miller are hopefully available down the stretch, however, there are likely to be more trade rumors surrounding Charlotte ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.