The Hornets were cleared from the three-ball goal, won’t they really negotiate with the Clippers, right? Is Harden really a match with the three-ball goal?

Recently, Lamelo Ball, the Hornets star, suddenly canceled the team's official account, and this operation instantly ignited the NBA trading market. Combined with the previous US media simulation of the Clippers' trading plan to exchange Powell, Bogdan and draft picks for three goals, as well as the news that the Clippers and Harden's contract negotiations were deadlocked, fans can't help but guess: Is this seemingly outrageous deal really going to come true?

As a month ago, the US media introduced the trading plan between the Clippers and the Hornets. At that time, fans generally believed that this deal "the Clippers lost to grandma's house" - although Ball averaged 25.5 points and 7.4 assists per game, his actual value was greatly reduced by 40.5% shooting percentage and 33.9% three-point shooting percentage, coupled with the glass attribute of less than 60% attendance for three consecutive years. More importantly, the Clippers entered the playoffs as the second in the league in defensive efficiency this season, and Ball's defensive contribution ranks 15% the bottom among players in the same position, which seems contrary to the Clippers' team building philosophy of "starting from defense".

However, Ball's action to turn the team back makes the plot reverse. Former NBA player Louis Williams said bluntly in the podcast: "The Clippers have been looking for top point guards, and three balls are exactly the type they need." What is more intriguing is that Ball's brother Lonzo Ball hinted when talking about this year's draft: "The Hornets will pick Dylan Harper, and then Melo will be sent to the Clippers." This kind of "prophecy" within the family, coupled with the guarantee clause in Ball's contract that expires in 2028, makes the transaction rumors confusing.

To understand the Clippers' motivations, it must be combined with Harden's contract negotiations. Currently, Harden has a player option of $36.35 million in the 2025-26 season, and his team hopes to sign a 2+1 contract with a total price of $75-80 million. But the Clippers prefer a 1+1 short contract in order to chase big names such as Antetokounmpo in 2026. The differences between the two sides forced the Clippers to consider alternatives - if Harden eventually leaves the team, Ball may be a replacement.

From a tactical point of view, the Clippers do need a real organizer. This season, Harden was forced to undertake too many organizational tasks, and averaged 9.1 assists per game in the playoffs, but scored a career high, but it dropped to 18.7 points. Tyron Lue's tactical system requires a point guard who can share the pressure on the ball, and Ball's average of 7.4 assists seems to meet this demand. However, Ball's defensive shortcomings may make the Clippers' outside loopholes worse - although the Clippers ranked third in overall three-point shooting percentage this season, their opponents can score 20.5 points from them through fast breaks and turnovers, which is the direct consequence of Ball's loose defensive habits.

Guess, if the three goals really go to the Clippers and Harden stays at the same time, are the two really compatible? On the surface, the technical characteristics of the two can complement each other: Harden's singles ability and Ball's passing vision can enrich the offensive methods.

But the disadvantages of three balls are really too obvious. First, the ball rights are allocated, and both of them need to have the ball in their hands. The second is the defensive issue. Both of them have average defense, but Harden should be better than three goals. The third is the risk of injury. Three balls are a crispy squid. Harden is also 36 years old and has hidden dangers of injury. Don’t forget that there is a crispy squid card!

The Hornets are really miserable. They have been at the bottom for so many years, but there are only a handful of people who have been trained. Are there only three goals, Walker and Wallace? In the end, they were all traded away, no wonder Jordan was going to sell the team!