Grade the trade: Warriors start over with LaMelo Ball in chaos-making hypothetical

All offseason long, the Warriors have been searching the trade market for another star. Lauri Markkanen and Paul George were their top targets. However, Markkanen appears to be staying put in Utah while George signed with the 76ers at the beginning of free agency. As a result, the Warriors' options are dwindling.

After back-to-back disappointing seasons highlighted by the team missing out on the playoffs this year, Golden State desperately needs a co-star next to Steph Curry. Especially with Klay Thompson leaving the team in the offseason while Thompson is no longer an All-Star level player he is still an elite shooter and was one of the Warriors' most important players.

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale came up with an outside-the-box trade proposal that would give the Warriors LaMelo Ball. Ironically, the Warriors could have drafted Ball with the No.2 overall pick back in 2020 but opted to take James Wiseman to boost their center rotation needless to say the Warriors regret this decision. Nevertheless, trading for Ball is an intriguing and exciting possibility. Let's examine this trade and figure out who benefits most from it.

Here are the full details:

The Warriors land LaMelo Ball in a shocking trade proposal.

Charlotte Hornets Receive: Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round swap, 2028 first-round pick, 2029 first-round swap, 2030 first-round pick (protected Nos. 21 to 30; turns into 2031 second-rounder if not conveyed)

Golden State Warriors Receive: LaMelo Ball

While the Warriors clearly need another star, LaMelo Ball might not be the right fit and is risky for several reasons. Outside of adding another bucket-getter Ball doesn't align with the Warriors' main needs. Ball's best skills are his knockdown shooting and elite passing. However, the Warriors truly need a big wing capable of being a secondary creator and playing multiple positions as they lack frontcourt size. This has been the mold of player for most of their trade targets. Notably, last season the Warriors ranked 2nd in three-pointers made and 4th in assists per game.

In theory, doubling down on your existing strengths isn't a bad thing. On one hand, his off-ball game would improve and Ball's fit as a shooter within Golden State's system is ideal. However, it's also fair to wonder how impactful Ball would be as playmaking while sharing the floor with Curry and Draymond Green. Furthermore, Ball has never been a positive defender. Considering the Warriors had the 15th ranked defense compared to the 9th-ranked offense they should be looking for someone who can make a two-way impact. Ultimately, it would be best to target a player who addresses some clear weak points.

Another issue with this trade is Ball's injury history. After being named an All-Star in his second-season, Ball has played in a combined 58 games over the following two seasons. Giving up five first-round picks for a player who struggles to stay on the court is foolish. While some of the picks are protected the Warriors will still be trading a minimum of four first-round picks which is far too rich for a move that doesn't make you a clear contender.

In addition, to the picks, the Warriors are parting ways with two key young players Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. Andrew Wiggins is also in the deal to make the salaries work while he had a down season and is seen as a negative trade asset Wiggins is still a rotational wing at minimum. The Warriors have notably been unwilling to trade Podziemski which held up Markkanen trade talks. So trading him for Ball seems highly unlikely. The well-rounded 21-year-old guard appears to firmly be a part of the Warriors future. The players involved in this trade along with acquiring Ball would cause the Warriors to take a massive step back defensively. Considering, the picks, players, and fit this deal would likely be a non-starter for the Warriors. 

Warriors grade: C-

As for the Hornets, this deal would be an incredible return for LaMelo. In his article, Favale notes that the Hornets aren't super likely to trade him yet if they look to double down on their rebuild it can't be ruled out. In my eyes, if a package like this was on the table it would be a no-brainer decision for the Hornets despite Ball's talent and upside. 

This move would allow the Hornets to fully bottom out for the 2025 draft highlighted by Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey. Additionally, this trade gives Charlotte some solid young players and amazing draft capital. For a rebuilding squad, you can't ask for much more.

Podziemski is a clear building block and would be an ideal fit next to Brandon Miller. Trading Ball leaves a clear hole at the point guard position. Although he's more of an off-guard Podziemski running the point guard position could be a worthwhile experiment. Moody is a solid 3-and-D style wing who was never given a fair chance in Golden State at 22 he still has plenty of upside. Wiggins had a down season but it's possible the 29-year-old forward will rejuvenate his career with Charlotte.

The five-first-round picks would make this deal irresistible for the Hornets. This arms the Hornets with a slew of first-round picks as they rebuild. Given the fact that LaMelo doesn't make the Warriors clear contenders and the Warriors' recent decline, these picks would be pretty valuable. Overall landing this amount of future first picks along with quality young talent in exchange for a highly talented yet somewhat unproven young player makes this an amazing trade for the Hornets.

Hornets grade: A