CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LaMelo Ball is about to get paid.
The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a five-year, max contract extension for Ball that could wind up totaling $260 million, league sources confirmed to the Charlotte Observer on Saturday. It’s an expected move given Ball’s importance to the franchise and would lock the All-Star point guard up for the next six seasons.
Ball has recovered fully from his ankle surgery and is doing on-court activities, according to team president/GM Mitch Kupchak. The only thing he hasn’t done is scrimmage five-on-five, but following the completion of the NBA draft, Kupchak suggested that’s only because of the current point of the offseason calendar. There’s no need to push it, especially when he’s battled through injuries in each of his first three seasons.
With Ball’s services sewed up for the next half decade, the Hornets can turn their attention to surrounding him with the right talent and restructuring a roster that’s already lost Dennis Smith Jr. in free agency, after he agreed to terms with Brooklyn on Saturday.
Charlotte has hole to fill in backcourt
Smith won’t be back for a second season in Charlotte.
Smith has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, league sources confirmed to the Observer on Saturday. The Observer reported on Monday there was some uncertainty with Smith’s potential return to the Hornets. His departure is a blow to Charlotte’s defense and a void it now has to fill given Smith’s presence on that side of the ball.
Smith enjoyed a renaissance of sorts with the Hornets after inking a non-guaranteed deal right before training camp began in September. He swiped a career-best 1.4 steals per game and recorded a single-season high of 75 in his lone season playing for the pro team in his native state.
When Smith was on the floor, the Hornets’ defense improved by 10.7 points per 100 possessions, which was the second-best number for any player who logged at least 1,000 minutes according to Cleaning the Glass.
Smith leaving for Brooklyn means unless the Hornets elect to have Théo Maledon or rookie Nick Smith Jr. serve as the primary backup to LaMelo Ball, they could use a veteran reserve point guard. Charlotte extended a $1.8 million qualifying offer to Maledon on Wednesday prior to Thursday’s deadline and drafted Nick Smith Jr. at No. 27 after taking Brandon Miller second overall.
