Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony has shared his opinion on an All-Star who the Charlotte Hornets must trade to pair alongside LaMelo Ball.
The Charlotte Hornets are currently 19-57 and sit 14th in the Eastern Conference.
Their two young stars LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have both missed substantial amount of time due to injuries.
With nothing to play for this season, the team will be hoping to obtain a high pick in the upcoming draft and continue their rebuild.
While Ball has recently attracted some criticism, he is a special player and pairing him alongside a star is also an option the team could explore.
The newest Naismith basketball hall of game inductee, Carmelo Anthony believes Zion Williamson could be the player that could make the difference for the Hornets.
Williamson’s stint with the New Orleans Pelicans has been a rather interesting one as he keeps showing potential, but fails to maintain a certain level of fitness resulting in links away from the franchise.
Former NBA scoring champion Carmelo Anthony believes a move away could be perfect for Williamson as he could be part of a solid ‘one-two punch’ alongside Ball.
Speaking on ‘7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony,’ he said: “You really have to think about it, putting my GM hat on. What you giving up for Zion.
“You really got to think about that, no b*******t you got to give up something that’s real, something groundbreaking, because he demands that. So you really have to think about the situation.”
Williamson has averaged 24.6 PPG on 56.7% shooting from the field, but he has only played 30 games and the team has already announced that he will be out for the season due to an injury.
Anthony stated despite the disappointing injury history, Williamson could contribute if put in a different situation.
“He’s in the beginning of his career, he’s still developing, figuring it out as far as like, there’s still more experience for him. Sometimes you got to get out of a situation.
“You ask me who, I would like to see him in Charlotte, with LaMelo and some other young excitement.
“They could start their own one-two punch down there, kind of the same age, same trajectory and situation as far as our next step needs to be a winning situation. Charlotte has to figure out how to make a winning product, go and make a splash,” he added.
Williamson and Ball are two of the best young players in the league. They both have different playing styles, but could compliment each other well.
While Ball is a point-guard who can score and make plays, Williamson is a force of nature who can be wreak havoc in the paint and on lobs.
Both could help Hornets get over the line and finally end the playoff drought that has lasted for nine years now.
However, the team would have to give up on a lot of assets in a trade for Williamson as he is a young All-Star.
But the Hornets are in a position where they might have to do that as they have been rebuilding for years and seen no success in the postseason.
He could be the player that helps them and while his health is a major concern, the team will have to take a chance as when fit Williamson is a sensation.
