When the 2023 NBA Draft came and went and the Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson with the second overall pick, it left no doubt as to how they felt about LaMelo Ball in terms of being a franchise cornerstone.
Ball, coming off an All-Star campaign in 2021-22, battled ankle injuries all last season in Charlotte, playing in only 36 games, but he was terrific once again when on the floor. The third-year guard averaged 23.3 points, 8.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game on 41.1/37.6/83.6 shooting splits, continuing to show his tremendous feel for the game and maintaining an excellent three-point percentage even as he garnered further attention from defenses. While he’s dealt with injuries in his first and third seasons in the league, the Hornets were still willing to extend him a max extension less than a day into the start of free agency, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Just In: Charlotte Hornets All-Star LaMelo Ball is finalizing a five-year designated maximum contract extension that is worth up to $260 million, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2023
The deal would start at $207 million, but could become $260 million if he makes an All-NBA team this season, a price Charlotte would be fine paying if he takes another leap.
Ball will look to stay healthy next year and continue growing with a young Hornets team that showed a bit of promise towards the end of the season even with their star guard on the shelf, hoping to carry over a bit of positive momentum and get back in the Play-In hunt in the East in 2023-24 with Ball on a fresh new extension.
