Lonzo Ball could find himself traded for the second time in under one year.
As the Cleveland Cavaliers play aggressively in the trade market, the veteran guard has come into focus on Tuesday morning. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Charlotte Hornets are a team to keep an eye on in the market for Ball.
"There has been some preliminary conversation between the Cavaliers and Hornets about Ball trade constructions that could furnish Charlotte with second-round draft capital and thus enable the Hornets to pair the elder Ball with his younger brother LaMelo," Fischer reported in the early hours of Tuesday.
With the Ball development, the Cavaliers are now linked to two potential trades ahead of the deadline, just days after making one over the weekend. In a three-team deal, the Cavaliers shipped out De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings in order to acquire Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.
Cleveland is apparently thinking even bigger, as they are on the hunt for the 11-time All-Star, James Harden.
As the Los Angeles Clippers battled the Philadelphia 76ers in California on Monday night, Harden was back in Phoenix, Arizona, missing his second-straight game due to personal reasons. It was a mystery at first, but the wave of reports that surfaced during the second half of the Clippers game confirmed what very few fans expected.
Landing a star ball-handler in Harden would certainly allow the Cavs to feel more comfortable parting ways with Ball. The 28-year-old former second-overall pick was a notable pickup for the Cavs ahead of the 2025-2026 season. However, in 35 games, he has averaged only 4.6 points while shooting 30 percent from the field. His numbers are down across the board.
Ball's comeback from a knee injury, which forced him to miss two straight seasons for the Chicago Bulls, has been a feel-good story around the NBA, but his impact in Cleveland has been minimal. Perhaps, a fresh start alongside his brother in Charlotte could give Lonzo Ball the lift he needs to get back on track.
The Hornets are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They might be a rebuilding roster that got off to a slow start, but they've won eight of their last 10 games, with seven victories in a row. Charlotte is 23-28, trailing the Atlanta Hawks by one game. Hovering around the Play-In, the Hornets could claw their way into postseason play later this year. Ball would be an interesting acquisition, and could come at a bargain price.
Lonzo Ball's trade chances don't seem guaranteed, but he's worth keeping an eye on with the deadline just days away.
Newsweek