Why is LaMelo Ball not playing against Nets tonight? Hornets star's absence from game explored (March 8) 

The Charlotte Hornets face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday without LaMelo Ball. The Hornets' star point guard is set to miss another game this season, but his absence is not believed to be serious.

According to the report, Ball will be out on Saturday against the Nets due to injury management.

Ball played in all four Hornets games in March before his absence. He averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in those games.

Despite his contributions, the Hornets have lost all four games. This also extends their active losing streak to nine games. Now, the rest of the Hornets squad will have to fight off the possibility of extending their losing streak to double digits without their most talented offensive player.

Just like in previous years, Ball has been mostly sidelined this season. He played in just five of the Hornets' 13 games in February. In January, he played in only nine contests and in December, he suited up in just four.

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LaMelo Ball might find himself on the trading block this offseason

The Charlotte Hornets will be at the bottom of the standings this season. Their record stands at 14-48 after their nine-game losing streak, and they are 14th in the Eastern Conference.

Once this season ends, the Hornets will have to answer a tough question: what to do with LaMelo Ball? Some front offices are reportedly willing to explore trade scenarios for the Hornets point guard, according to NBA insider Michael Scotto.

Ball has the makings of an impact player and could contribute to a team's playoff aspirations. He could join some win-now markets if the Hornets decide to trade him.

Scotto also said that Ball is looking to be a part of a winning situation. This does not necessarily mean he is asking for a trade, but realistically, the Hornets are far from competitive.

They are not an attractive free-agent destination and would have a hard time attracting stars to join their squad. They would also likely have to gut their roster if they want to land an All-Star via trade, a move that would be counterintuitive to creating a winning team.

Historically, the Hornets have struggled to put together a winning squad. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2015-16, when they went 48-34. They also got more wins than losses in 2021-22 (43-39) but missed the postseason.

In the past decade, these were the only two times they didn't finish the year with a losing record.