The Charlotte Hornets are officially out of the championship run following a series of disappointing games. This marks the Hornets’ seventh consecutive season where the team failed to reach the playoffs much to fans’ dismay. While the qualified teams gear up for the play-in tournament, the Hornets are now preparing for the upcoming draft. Amid all that, the franchise is currently at risk of losing one of its best players as the Michael Jordan-owned team nears the end of a million-dollar contract.

It is no secret that the Charlotte Hornets have been putting on a weak display on the court for quite some time now. Despite having a basketball legend for an owner, the Hornets haven’t been able to stand up to the NBA world’s expectations.

Michael Jordan might soon lose a major asset

Despite being one of the weakest teams in the league, the Charlotte Hornets roster includes a potent player that fans had hoped would lead the team to a much-needed victory. 21-year-old basketball star LaMelo Ball was acquired by the Hornets during the 2018 Draft and it was one of the very few times when the NBA world had commended owner Michael Jordan’s decision.

However, it soon became evident that it would take a lot more than just one NBA star to put the Hornets among the top contending teams. NBA Insider Stephen A. Smith had bluntly stated several days ago that ‘Michael Jordan ruined a lot of careers’.

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The Hornets finished the 2023 season as the No. 14 seed in the Eastern Conference with no more than 27 wins. After getting kicked out of the playoffs, the team’s star player LaMelo Ball gave a subtle indication that he might no longer play for the Hornets once he becomes a free agent in 2024.

When Steve Reed of Associated Press asked Ball about his future in Charlotte, Ball responded, “I play it by the day.” Furthermore, he added, “Like I said, I love it out here so I can’t really tell the future. We’ll just see how it goes and go from there.”

Chicago Bulls legend criticized by fans

Fans were rather supportive of the idea of LaMelo Ball’s exit from Jordan’s billion-dollar franchise. Shortly after the video of Ball’s media conference was uploaded on the internet, Twitterati wasted no time in making their thoughts known. One fan encouraged Ball by writing, “Please leave.” Take a look at a few more of the comments.

Another user criticized the franchise and wrote, “You have a superstar and you can’t build around him to take some of the pressure off of him.”

Ever since Michael Jordan took over as a majority stakes owner of the Charlotte Hornets, he has been repeatedly criticized for his poor executive skills. After strong demands from NBA fans, the Hall of Famer has finally decided to give up his position as the controlling owner of the Hornets.