The Charlotte Hornets (10-20) Defeat the Washington Wizards (5-23), 126-109, Behind 23 Points and 9 Assists From LaMelo Ball
Link to box score
Game ended ages ago and there was still no PGT. Awesome performances from LaMelo (23/2/9 on 7-12, 4 made threes), Brandon (20/4/4 on 8-17, 4 made threes), and Kon (19/3/2, 5 made threes), with the big standout being Moussa “Dennis Rodman” Diabate with 12⁄18 filling in for Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Hornets are quietly 6-4 when melo, miller, and kon all start.
LaMelo’s now shot 50% or better from the field three times in the past four games. First time he’s done that since November of 2023. He’s never shot 50% or better 4 times in 5 games.
I wonder if it’s starting to happen for him. Not holding my breath, but damn it’d be cool if he put it together for real.
Tonight reminded me more of Borrego-era LaMelo. When he plays a little bit more off ball and works on initiating + relocating, he looks waayyy better than when he monopolizes the ball and is the sole offensive creator on the floor. Brandon and Kon playing well is huge for him; a lot of his chucker instincts came when Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges were the team’s only other offensive threats, leading them to rely on LaMelo far too heavily.
Play in incoming
I’m trying to get Hornets fans on the trade for AD bandwagon.
He can still clearly play at a high level. 35 points vs Pelicans now has 31 vs Jokic on NBC.
Put him with Melo/Kon/Miller in the weak East we could make a run.
It would be fleeting and the team already has injury concerns. AD is the last star level player they should add imo
You’re ignoring the fact he would be cheap to trade for. This isn’t someone you give up all your assets for.
I know his injury history. That’s why he would be cheap to trade for. But when he plays he’s still a top 5 big.
If the FO seriously wants to build around Miller Lamelo and K2 then it’s already a gamble either way given Lamelo’s history, may as well gamble on AD staying healthy for the next couple of years. Mavs can trade AD at the deadline, ethically tank for a good 2026 draft pick and pick up the hornet’s 2027 picks in the trade so they can better build around Flagg as their franchise player. Hornets maybe make it to the play-in and still get some decent picks this year, or they continue to cycle AD and Lamelo off the court for b2bs and keep them healthy going into next year and get a strong pick in the draft…there’s a lot of options for both teams to win out in the trade the more you think about it. That is, assuming Lamelo and AD magically stop getting injured, so there’s that…
But a starting lineup of Lamelo, Miller, Kon AD and diabate sounds pretty sick to be honest. AD brings some much needed defense to the team, gets to play the 4 for a team that badly needs a real PF plus an insane offensive rebound duo with the offensive core chucking high % 3’s, would be fun to watch.
And this is why Reddit dwellers aren’t GMs lol this is a terrible idea and it’s very concerning how you don’t see this as. Abither fans quite Frankly
Great game from LaMelo Ball
Shoutout to anybody who watched this basketball game. You are truly fans of basketball.