Cleveland Cavaliers Lonzo Ball v Charlotte Hornets Lamelo Ball
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A reunion years in the making? Trade talks could finally put Lonzo and LaMelo Ball on the same NBA roster.
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A reunion years in the making may finally be gaining traction. With the NBA trade deadline approaching, league sources say the Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets have held preliminary talks centered on veteran guard Lonzo Ball, potentially setting up a long-anticipated pairing with younger brother LaMelo Ball.
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Cleveland and Charlotte have discussed early trade constructions that would send Lonzo Ball to the Hornets in exchange for second-round draft compensation.
“Sources say there has been some preliminary conversation between the Cavaliers and Hornets about (Lonzo) 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,” Stein and Fischer reported.
The conversations reflect a broader league trend. Per Stein and Fischer, Charlotte, Brooklyn, and Utah are all positioning themselves as facilitators in multi-team trades, willing to absorb salary in exchange for draft assets ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline.
Cleveland’s Motivation to Move Lonzo Ball
From Cleveland’s perspective, the logic is straightforward. Lonzo Ball has fallen out of the rotation, replaced by newly acquired guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis following the Cavaliers’ recent trade that sent De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento.
The Cavaliers are also navigating tight financial constraints. They currently sit roughly $14 million above the second-apron threshold, creating urgency to shed salary both to reduce payroll and to avoid having their 2033 first-round pick frozen under the league’s punitive cap rules.
In short, moving Ball’s $10 million salary would solve multiple problems at once.
Cleveland would “probably love to dump Ball and his $10 million salary,” as one league observer put it, particularly with larger dominoes, such as a potential James Harden deal, still in play.
Ball’s on-court production has made him increasingly expendable. Now 28, he is in his seventh NBA season and his first with Cleveland after arriving from Chicago in an offseason deal. Through 35 games this season, Ball is averaging 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes per game. The efficiency numbers are stark. He is shooting just 30.1 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from three, both career lows.
While Ball remains a capable defender and secondary playmaker, Cleveland’s need for reliable backcourt scoring and shot creation has overtaken his defensive utility.
Why Charlotte Makes Sense
Charlotte, meanwhile, has both the financial flexibility and the incentive to explore a reunion. The Hornets have roughly $14.4 million in room below the luxury tax line and could absorb Ball’s contract without major roster gymnastics.
Just as importantly, they employ LaMelo Ball, one of the faces of the franchise and a central figure in Charlotte’s recent surge. The Hornets have won seven straight games and are climbing toward the Eastern Conference postseason picture.
From a basketball standpoint, Lonzo would not be asked to carry offensive responsibility. Instead, he could serve as a connective piece alongside his brother, providing defense, ball movement, and lineup versatility.
How to Get a Deal Done
Lonzo Ball’s deal includes a club option for next season, making it especially attractive for cap-conscious teams. If declined, he would become an unrestricted free agent this summer, another reason his contract remains movable despite the production dip.
Any deal, however, would almost certainly require Cleveland to attach draft compensation. The Cavaliers currently control their own second-round picks from 2026 to 2028, as well as Denver’s 2027 second-rounder, assets that could grease the wheels.
Whether a Ball brothers reunion ultimately materializes remains uncertain. But with Cleveland motivated, Charlotte positioned, and the deadline looming, the possibility is no longer theoretical. It’s real and it’s gaining momentum.