If the 2025 NBA season has proven anything, it’s that nothing is off the table. The Los Angeles Lakers trading for Luka Dončić shocked the league and shattered long-held assumptions about player loyalty and team permanence. Now, when wild trade ideas pop up, fans barely blink. Case in point: Lonzo Ball’s recent take on his podcast What An Experience stirred the pot in a big way, suggesting a future where his younger brother LaMelo Ball dons a Los Angeles Clippers jersey.
“I lowkey got Dylan Harper going to the Hornets, and I got Melo going to the Clips,” Lonzo said.
The comment caught his co-hosts by surprise and immediately lit up social media. It wasn’t just the idea of Dylan Harper, a top college prospect, falling to No. 4 and joining the Charlotte Hornets—it was the notion of LaMelo being traded at all, much less to the Clippers, that turned heads.
Would the Hornets Really Move LaMelo?
The Charlotte Hornets hold the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Harper could very well be available by the time they’re on the clock. The Rutgers star was recently projected to go No. 2 overall by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, but draft night surprises happen.
That said, moving on from LaMelo Ball would be a seismic shift for a Hornets franchise that has yet to find its footing. Despite his injury struggles, LaMelo remains one of the team’s most promising stars. He averaged 25.2 points and 7.4 assists during the 2024–25 season, despite being limited to just 47 games due to ankle and wrist injuries. Over the past three seasons, he’s appeared in only 105 games, raising concerns about his long-term durability.
Even so, league insiders have poured cold water on any real trade talks. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported that the Hornets have “no interest” in trading LaMelo. The 2022 All-Star and 2021 Rookie of the Year is viewed as a foundational piece, and Charlotte likely won’t improve on a 19-63 record without him on the floor.
A Fit Los Angeles Clippers? Not So Simple
On paper, a move to the Clippers could be attractive for LaMelo. He’d be joining a win-now team featuring Kawhi Leonard and James Harden—although that pairing itself comes with questions. The Clippers were bounced in the first round of the 2025 playoffs by the Denver Nuggets, and their stars looked worn down. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has maintained faith in the Harden-Kawhi core, but it’s fair to wonder if the team is looking for a new spark.
LaMelo could be that spark—but fitting him next to Harden might be redundant. Both players are ball-dominant guards who thrive with high usage rates. A potential pairing could create spacing and playmaking concerns unless the Clippers are willing to shift Harden’s role or move him entirely.
As for what a trade package would even look like, it’s pure speculation. The Clippers would likely need to give up multiple assets—young players, draft capital, or perhaps even Norman Powell—to land a talent like LaMelo, and there’s no indication Charlotte is even listening to offers.
More Fantasy Than Forecast—for Now
Lonzo’s prediction might be more of a wish than a reality. It’s no secret he wants to see his brother thrive, and with the Hornets mired in perpetual rebuilding and playoff droughts, a fresh start in Los Angeles could be tantalizing. After all, the Hornets haven’t sniffed the postseason during LaMelo’s time there.
Still, this is more “NBA2K fantasy” than actual front-office chatter—at least for now.
One part of Lonzo’s prediction that may prove true? Dylan Harper to the Hornets. Charlotte needs a running mate for LaMelo—or a future star should the team ever decide to pivot. But for now, the idea of LaMelo Ball playing for the Clippers remains just that: an idea. A fascinating one—but not a likely one.