Ex-NBA All-Star to Accuse Teams of ‘Sabotaging’ Top Players After LaMelo Ball Benching

LaMelo Ball has been playing the fewest minutes of his career this season as the Charlotte Hornets experiment with various lineups.

Ex-NBA All-Star to Accuse Teams of ‘Sabotaging’ Top Players After LaMelo Ball Benching

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball (Image via FirstSportz)

Star point guard LaMelo Ball has been the heartbeat of the Charlotte Hornets ever since they selected him third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.

During his six seasons with the team, he has managed to earn one All-Star nod, as his electric offensive prowess has left fans wanting more, since he struggles with injuries every now and then.

However, six seasons is a long time in the NBA, and, just like some other hyped prospects, teams have been trying to gauge whether focusing on them as cornerstones is worth the investment.

We’ve seen so many examples in this season alone… It is literally teams killing the value of their own stars… It’s obviously trending in the league right now, where teams are willing to sabotage and devalue their star players.

DeMarcus Cousins said on Run it Back

The former multiple-time All-Star was referring to when the Hornets benched LaMelo Ball in their last game against the Indiana Pacers. The guard did go off on a heater to score 33 points in 27 minutes.

This is when Lou Williams butt in and said that benching the 6′ 7″ star had nothing to do with the theories floating around that teams are intentionally sabotaging a player’s value.

To this, DeMarcus Cousins came back to suggest that even though his performance was exceptional, Ball has been playing the fewest minutes of his career. That, to him, is an indication that maybe Kendrick Perkins‘ theory holds true in LaMelo Ball’s case.

Kendrick Perkins felt Hornets were intentionally restricting LaMelo Ball

When those associated with or following basketball first came to learn about the Charlotte Hornets benching LaMelo Ball, it sent shockwaves throughout the league.

LaMelo Ball came off the bench
LaMelo Ball came off the bench (Image via NBA Retweet/X)

It was not similar to how the San Antonio Spurs are bringing Victor Wembanyama off the bench, as that was something that bore out how he performed in his first game back from injury.

When Kendrick Perkins was speaking to his Road Trippin’ podcast colleagues, he took out his phone and showed host Allie Clifton a text he received. She read out that the person felt the Hornets were intentionally benching Ball so that his numbers would decline.

Then, if they trade him, the optics would sound as if they sent away a declining player rather than a possible two-time All-Star. Then, Perkins reiterated that maybe this was true, as leaguewide, this sentiment has started to gain traction.

Barring his 33-point explosion against the Pacers, LaMelo Ball has been producing the fewest points and rebounds since his All-Star season. That may be why Kendrick Perkins and the person who sent the text to him felt that way.

Recent trade situations add fuel to that theory

If one wanted to disregard Kendrick Perkins’ theory, they could come up with various reasons, as there is no concrete proof of this happening. However, the recent trade conversations point to this theory.

For starters, Jonathan Kuminga was supposed to be a budding star this season. He started well for the Golden State Warriors, which helped them get off to a hot start this season.

Since then, he has been absent, and head coach Steve Kerr is constantly asked about his future every other day. Then, Trae Young was traded away for a couple of mid-tier players, which left fans wondering what the Atlanta Hawks were thinking.

Now, Ja Morant has entered the trade chat, with Shams Charania revealing that the superstar and his Memphis Grizzlies are working together to find a destination.

These developments, along with LaMelo Ball’s situation, are why Perkins and DeMarcus Cousins have started to believe that teams are doing what they can to devalue players for favorable optics.

Also Read: