Following two consecutive injury-riddled seasons, LaMelo Ball has balled out in the first 10 games of the 2024-25 season. He has elevated his game to another level and is averaging almost 30 points per game. However, his performance hasn’t equated to team success as the Hornets hold a 4-6 record in the East. Therefore, rumors are ripe about Ball leaving for a bigger market, like the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Former Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons believes a move to LA would be a wise decision to make for Ball. He could be a household name in the country sheerly because of the air time he would get as a West Coast player. Parsons thinks the Hornets are holding Melo back from achieving his full potential at the moment.
On ‘Run It Back’, Parsons said, “The average person doesn’t know who LaMelo Ball is because the Charlotte Hornets have been historically bad. You have to be on a good team. He’s going to put up numbers on this team but to me, that isn’t impressive.”
What would Lamelo Ball look like on the Clippers @ChandlerParsons says the conversation around the young superstar would be totally different!
Do you agree?@TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons | @MichelleDBeadle pic.twitter.com/fCxevrAe7v
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) November 11, 2024
Parsons thinks LaMelo would be a completely different player in LA due to all the exposure.
However, his co-host, Lou Williams, didn’t share the same outlook. In his opinion, Ball has already built his own brand while playing with the Hornets.
He said, “I think people know who LaMelo Ball is. Can the Charlotte Hornets collectively be a better team? Absolutely. But I think as a brand, people know LaMelo Ball.”
The statistics support Williams. Ball was ranked 14th in terms of jersey sales for the 2023–24 season by NBAStore.com. More people bought his jerseys than that of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Anthony Davis, with AD even being a big market player.
Lavar Ball, LaMelo’s father, initiated this conversation by expressing his wishes for his son’s future in September. Lavar said in an interview with Vlad TV that he wants his sons to “all play for the Clippers.”
A move to a large market could increase Ball’s visibility in the sport.
The Clippers vs the Hornets: Which will be better for Ball?
The Hornets rank 23rd in terms of the number of nationally televised games that they are scheduled to have this season, which is just seven. Only one of those seven games will be broadcasted on ESPN, and the others will be shown on NBA TV. It’s unlikely that casual NBA fans will get to frequently see LaMelo Ball play.
On the other hand, 21 Clippers games will be televised nationally this season despite Paul George’s departure from the team. If Ball were in a larger market, he could have showed off his skills to a larger demographic.
During his sophomore year, Ball was selected to the All-Star team. His success so far has put him in a position to make his second appearance. However, the success of the team will determine his potential inclusion to the Eastern side.
Should the Hornets fail to improve in the near future, the talented young guard may need to find a new home. The Clippers seem like a good landing spot for now.
