The Athletic NBA Daily — "Is It Time To Trade LaMelo Ball?"

Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Andrew Schlecht
Guest: Richie Randall (Buzz Beat Podcast)
Timestamp references are in MM:SS format

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the Charlotte Hornets, exploring the team's direction, their crop of young prospects, and, most provocatively, whether it's time to trade franchise cornerstone LaMelo Ball. Host Andrew Schlecht welcomes Richie Randall, host of the Buzz Beat podcast and Charlotte Hornets expert, for an in-depth discussion about the Hornets' roster, team-building philosophy, organizational outlook, and the complexities swirling around injured star LaMelo Ball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Summer League Success & Surprises

[02:35]

• The Hornets' unexpected Summer League championship prompted fan excitement (both genuine and ironic), but the real surprise was their cohesive team play despite injuries.

• Notable young standouts in Vegas: Con Knipple, T. John Salon (improved vastly over rookie year), and 2nd-rounder Ryan Kalkbrenner.

  "Them coming together and gelling as a team... not having one guy stand out, it was a lot of guys that pitched in."
  — Richie Randall [03:17]

2. Hornets’ Top Young Prospects: Ranking & Scouting

[04:11 – 08:49]

• Richie’s prospect rank (rookie contracts):

  1. Brandon Miller: Top prospect, elite shooter, floor-spacer. Coming off a right wrist injury (90-95% recovered).
  2. Con Knipple: Will fly under the radar outside Charlotte; strong shooter, pick-and-roll savvy; not flashy, but makes the right play.
  3. Liam McNeely: Strong rebounder for size, glue-guy traits, quick pace-pusher, limited sample due to injuries.
  4. T. John Salon: Raw 3&D/high-energy project; showed more confidence and muscle in Summer League, but shooting and overall game still needs significant development.

  "The goal was for [Salon] to play in the Greensboro Swarm... his deficiencies were exposed because he had to play big minutes, which maybe is a good thing."
  — Richie Randall [09:05]

3. LaMelo Ball: Franchise Cornerstone or Disappointment?

[12:32 – 16:30]

• Availability issues: Games played over last 3 seasons (36, 22, 47). Health is the overriding concern.

• On-court impact: "Polarizing" in Charlotte—some see him as empty stats ("empty calories"), others see a unique offensive engine.

• Defensive weaknesses likely to remain, but undeniable passing and offensive skillset.

• Prediction: Richie expects "optimistically" about 55 games played for LaMelo this year.

  "If he never plays more than 50% of his games... I don't think you can even have that conversation with LaMelo."
  — Richie Randall [14:21]

4. Is It Time to Trade LaMelo Ball?

[15:36 – 18:16]

• Both agree the trade conversation is timely with Ball's injuries and the organization's philosophical shift under new leadership (Jeff Peterson/Charles Lee).

• LaMelo’s "celebrity" eclipses his play at this point for younger fans.

• Waiting too long could erode his value; hard-nosed, high-energy player archetype now preferred organizationally.

  "If you wait too long and experience more seasons where he's not playing, then doesn't that just kind of defeat the value of trying to trade him?"
  — Richie Randall [16:36]

5. The Center Position: A Stealth Tanking Opportunity?

[18:19 – 21:55]

• Hornets’ center spot perceived as a soft spot ("stealth tanking"); no incumbent clear-cut starter.

• Candidates: Mason Plumlee (steady vet), Moussa Diabate (active offensive rebounder—Randall's preference), Ryan Kalkbrenner (rookie, profile fits coach Charles Lee’s system).

• Each brings a different, but limited, set of skills; none is a sure thing.

  "My preference is Moussa Diabate... one of the better offensive rebounding players in all the league... But it's very useful."
  — Richie Randall [20:51]

6. Miles Bridges: Asset and Ambiguity

[21:55 – 24:42]

• Bridges posted strong stats (20 pts, 7.5 reb, ~4 ast) but is not considered a primary creator going forward.

• Hornets likely see him as a third/fourth starter, ideally excelling as a finisher, cutter, and weakside defender—not a focal point.

  "I don't think moving forward, the Hornets view him as a guy that is that type of player. Like, you don't want him to be your primary ball handler."
  — Richie Randall [23:09]

7. Brandon Miller’s Role: Three or Four?

[24:42 – 26:02]

• Miller is projected more as a "three" (SF), lacking physical strength to defend bigs or finish consistently at the rim.

• His high 3-point volume (10 attempts per game) is praised, though Richie notes the value of maintaining his mid-range arsenal as a needed counter.

  "It just gets me really excited whenever guys understand the value of the three-point shot and are just gonna let it fly, and we’re near the kind of shooter that he is."
  — Andrew Schlecht [25:22]

8. Who Starts at the Two?

[27:01 – 29:36]

• Deep, murky battle at shooting guard: Khan Knipple, Josh Green, Colin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie among options.

• Richie’s vote: Knipple "so malleable." Likely outcome: Sexton, but starting Knipple is a strong chemistry/future-building signal.

• Concern: Defensive pairings in the backcourt are weak.

  "My personal preference is for Khan to start just because he's so malleable... But also coming in as a rookie, maybe you come off the bench and kind of work your way into the starting role."
  — Richie Randall [27:56]

9. Season Outlook & The Future

[29:36 – 32:18]

• Realistically, Hornets are lottery-bound (projected 28–30 wins, ~12th seed in East), especially with Grant Williams out early and roster/unreliable health.

• Organizational patience: New leadership aims for sustainable winning, stockpiling assets and avoiding win-now desperation.

  "I think Charlotte... finishes around the 12th spot in the East."
  — Richie Randall [31:26]

• Dream scenario:

  • Drafting star prospect Darren Peterson next year provides a reset and a clean opportunity to move on from LaMelo.

  "The ultimate life raft would be getting Darren Peterson in the draft next year. Then you can ship LaMelo Ball off somewhere else and let Darren take the point guard reins."
  — Andrew Schlecht [31:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[The Hornets are] building for the long-term future here and they aren't willing to risk some kind of win-now move or short-term gain just for them to make the play-in." — Richie Randall [30:58]
• "He’s a celebrity to kids at summer league... There's just something about him [LaMelo] that everybody loves." — Andrew Schlecht [15:51]
• "Do your kids, when they mention the word ‘Melo,’ do they think LaMelo or Carmelo?" — Richie Randall [17:30]
  • "It’s definitely LaMelo... My son has like three pairs of LaMelo Ball shoes." — Andrew Schlecht [17:45]
• "Starting Colin Sexton—another stealth tanking move, I would say..." — Andrew Schlecht [29:36]

Useful Timestamps

• [02:35] - Hornets’ surprising summer league run recap
• [04:11–08:49] - Deep-dive into Hornets’ young prospects
• [12:32–16:30] - LaMelo Ball’s status, durability, and value
• [18:19–21:55] - Center position analysis ("stealth tanking" discussion)
• [21:55–24:42] - Miles Bridges’ fit and organizational view
• [27:01–29:36] - Two-guard starter debate (Knipple vs. rest)
• [29:36–32:18] - Projected 2025–26 outcome and long-term trajectory

Tone & Final Thoughts

The discussion is honest, realistic, and openly skeptical of quick-fix approaches. Richie Randall's Hornets expertise and on-the-ground perspective provide essential nuance for fans and league observers. Both he and Andrew Schlecht see the franchise at a crossroads: building patiently through youth while grappling with the major question of whether LaMelo Ball’s stardom translates to sustainable winning — or if it's time to pivot away entirely.

To follow Hornets insights from Richie Randall, check out Buzz Beat Podcast (@BuzzBeatPod) and follow him on Twitter (@RichieRandall).