Photo: Peter Baba

Hornets head coach Charles Lee is pushing LaMelo Ball to find ways to influence games even when his shot isn’t falling. Lee emphasized that Ball, whose name has surfaced in trade chatter throughout the season, needs to assert himself more consistently on defense.

Speaking with Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Lee explained that this isn’t a new point of emphasis: “We talk about that a good amount,” he said.

He added that improvement requires not just conversation but consistent follow-through: “… So, we’ll continue to watch the film, and now we have to back it up with our actions game after game, day after day. Because this is the standard, this is the expectation.”

Lee made it clear how much Ball’s engagement matters, noting that “when he plays at that high of a level, he makes our team different and really special and unique.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR