LaMelo Ball Hyped by Hornets HC After T-Wolves Trade, PG Is 'Really Just Scratching the Surface'

The Charlotte Hornets made a tough decision to trade star point guard LaMelo Ball, but head coach Charles Lee had nothing but love for his former player following his departure.

"Man, it is hard. We built such a great relationship, Melo and I, personally and professionally," Lee said during an appearance at NBA Summer League. "Those phone calls are never easy ones. I thought that he helped our group create a foundation, a standard for how we want to operate every day. And I think that he's really just scratching the surface, I think there's more for that young man to achieve."

Lee, who took over in Charlotte ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, spent just two years with Ball, but the two helped lead the Hornets to a tremendous year of growth.

In 2025-26, Charlotte finished 44-38, its best season in 10 years, just missing the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament. Ball had one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 boards per game while playing 72 contests.

Nonetheless, the Hornets decided to send him and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round draft pick, three second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps, a move general manager Jeff Peterson said will help Charlotte eventually compete for a title.