LaMelo Ball denies Hornets frustration: 'I love being here' - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LaMelo Ball says he wants to stay with the Charlotte Hornets despite the team's struggles and increasing speculation about his future from outside the organization.

«I love being here,» Ball said Friday following practice in Charlotte. «I ain't saying nothing. I'm just trying to win, that's it. That's what we're going to keep doing.»

Hornets coach Charles Lee said that Ball, who became the team's first max contract player in July 2023 when he signed a $260 million deal, remains a cornerstone piece of the organization.

«He's a huge, huge piece of what we do, offensively and defensively,» Lee said.

The comments followed a Yahoo Sports report, which cited anonymous sources, that said the 2022 All-Star point guard was growing increasingly frustrated with the Hornets' losing ways and was open to a trade. Ball appeared to take exception to the report, reposting the story on social media Thursday with a clown emoji.

The Hornets are 4-11 and have not been to the postseason since Ball's arrival as the No. 3 pick in 2020.

«He never heard that come from me, so the source is not from me,» Ball said. «So it's just false info.»

Ball said he doesn't like commenting on rumors but felt he had to speak out before the reports got out of hand.

«When they get too big, you know, you gotta say something,» Ball said. «It was so much that it was making headlines in Bleacher Report and this and that, so I didn't want it to keep going on.»

Lee, the team's second-year coach, said he has a great working relationship with Ball and is thrilled to hear that the sixth-year pro is committed to the Hornets building a winning franchise.

«I'm glad to hear what he had to say because I would echo a lot of the same things,» Lee said. «Our