What happened: An executive said, "If we trade LaMelo, we're probably trading Miles," during the club's internal deliberations. Ball was dealt June 25, and the Bridges agreement followed June 28.
Why it matters: The sequence shows Charlotte treated the first move as the trigger for a broader roster overhaul. The two trades removed longtime starters ahead of the 2026-27 season.
By the numbers: Ball played 72 games in 2025-26, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Charlotte won 44 games before exiting in the play-in tournament.
What to watch: Charlotte's revamped rotation will show how the linked decisions translate to the 2026-27 season.