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Bill Simmons on Hornets After LaMelo Ball Trade: 'Charlotte's in Shambles'

Things have not gone to plan with the Hornets.

Charlotte Hornets forward Hannes Steinbach (22) handles the ball defended by Boston Celtics center Luka Garza | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bill Simmons was one of the many NBA analysts who praised the Charlotte Hornets for trading LaMelo Ball over the offseason. Simmons loved what they had built last season, but he thought, as many did, that this was a wise bet against Ball's health and a wise acquisition of more assets.

Simmons also knew they'd likely take a step back without an elite offensive engine. But so far, the returns have been abysmal. Not only is the offense in horrific shape without Ball, but the primary piece of the haul, Naz Reid, seems unhappy, according to Simmons.

And to top it all off, Ball is playing well for a really good Minnesota Timberwolves team that's thriving without Anthony Edwards.

Simmons said, "LaMelo has been pretty good the last couple of games without Anthony Edwards, and Charlotte's in shambles. The Charlotte fans are going nuts about that trade now, because Naz Reid, whether you agree with the trade or not, he does not seem like he wants to be in Charlotte."

Simmons said Reid is in company with Myles Turner for who wants to be on their current team the least. Whether or not that's actually the case, that perception of the situation is widely held.

Here's a quick comparison. With Ball on the court and Edwards off, the Timberwolves are +12.3 in net rating. The offensive rating is a solid 116.9. The Hornets are struggling, as most of their five-man combinations don't get those results.

The Hornets as a team have a 99.7 offensive rating and a -14.2 net rating. Meanwhile, Ball without the Timberwolves' best player is thriving. It's a crystal clear illustration of how poorly the trade has aged in just a few weeks of regular-season play.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball (1) takes an inbound pass against the Utah Jazz | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, it is true that the Hornets made this trade based on the long-term health of Ball, which remains up in the air, and the fact that they wanted more assets to build a true title contender instead of a playoff team. So for now, the jury technically remains out.

But everything else has gone totally wrong in a comically karmic way. So it would not be a surprise if Ball averaged 75 games played a year for the next five seasons and the Hornets struggle until that 2033 first-round pick actually conveys. Put simply, as Simmons and his co-host said, it's "not good."

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