Three goals officially refuted the rumors! He expressed his preference to stay in the Hornets: saying that I want to leave is false news

On November 22, despite the poor record of the Charlotte Hornets and the outside world's speculation about the future of LaMelo Ball (three goals), the core of the team made it clear that he hopes to stay in the Hornets. This is also his official refutation of recent trade rumors.

"I like it here," Ball said after today's training. "I have nothing else to say. I just focus on winning, that's all. We will always do this."

Hornets head coach Charles Lee emphasized that Ball, as the first maximum-paid player in the team's history to renew his contract with US$260 million in July 2023, remains the cornerstone of the team. “He is an extremely important part of our system, both offensively and defensively,” Lee said.

Yahoo Sports previously reported, citing anonymous sources, that the 2022 All-Star point guard is increasingly dissatisfied with the Hornets' losing streak and is open to trades. Ball obviously disagreed with the report. He added a clown emoji when forwarding the relevant news on social media, suggesting that the report was untrue.

The Hornets' current record is only 4 wins and 11 losses. Since Ball joined as the third overall pick in 2020, the team has not yet made it to the playoffs.

"I have never said such a thing, so the source of the news must not be me," Ball responded. "This is false information."

Ball said that he was unwilling to comment on the rumors, but he chose to speak out because he was worried that the reports would intensify: "When the rumors get too big, you have to stand up and explain the situation. At that time, Bleacher Report and other media have made this a headline, and I don’t want the situation to continue to ferment."

As the head coach of the Hornets in his second season, Lee revealed that he has a very harmonious working relationship with Ball and is delighted that Ball is willing to stay with the team to build a championship lineup: "I am very happy to hear his statement, because I also have many of the same feelings. The communication channels between me, Melo (Ball's nickname) and general manager Jeff Peterson are very smooth. Directly convey to us his desire to grow with the team."

"He understands what it takes to win and what the team needs to be, so I firmly believe that he is committed to staying in Charlotte. He has mentioned many times that he loves this city and the fans here.

The 24-year-old Ball has only played in 9 games due to a sprained right ankle. Although he has returned to the game, he is still limited by playing time. It is worth noting that in his first five seasons in the NBA, due to repeated ankle injuries, Ball only played in 231 of 410 games. During this period, he tried a variety of protective gear, but never completely solved the injury problem.

So far this season, Ball has averaged 21.6 points and 9.6 assists per game, but his shooting touch is poor, with his field goal percentage (38.5%) and three-point shooting percentage (29.8%) both hitting career lows.

Even if the Hornets intend to trade Ball, the potential next owner will still have to bear huge contract pressure. Ball's contract will last until the 2029-30 season, with total remaining salary exceeding US$168 million, of which this season's salary is US$37.9 million.

Ball emphasized that his focus is to stay in Charlotte, help the team out of difficulties and build a championship lineup: "There are always ups and downs in the season. We are at a low point now, but we will definitely rebound. I still have full confidence in this team and everyone here."