Rockets must dispel surging LaMelo Ball rumors as quickly as possible

The Houston Rockets do not need to trade for LaMelo Ball.

That's the entire opener.

If you follow the NBA, you know where this is coming from. The Athletic's Kelly Iko is reporting that Ball is open to moving on from the Hornets. Exactly zero human beings are shocked by this rumor.

Ball has been dogged by trade rumors for a long time. The Hornets have struggled to find success during his tenure with the team. Ball may benefit from a change of scenery:

But the Rockets shouldn't be the team to give it to him.

Rockets should pass on Ball

Let's start here: Ball is really, really good. He's among the most naturally talented point guards in the NBA.

He's not having his strongest season. Ball's 21.6 points and 9.6 assists per game are impressive, but his 51.4 True Shooting % (TS%) is abhorrent. It all amounts to a mediocre 1.3 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) that would be a career low if the season ended today.

Sure, but caveats apply. Ball plays on a lacklustre Hornets team. Kon Knueppel is perhaps the Rookie of the Year frontrunner, but he's still a rookie. Brandon Miller is still recovering from an injury. There's not much buzz being generated in Buzz City.

None of which means the Rockets should look at Ball.

His biggest issue is durability. Ball is in his sixth year in the league, and he's cleared 50 games in a season just twice. Worst of all, those were his first two years in the league. Since then, Ball has hardly been on the floor. That's the main reason to avoid Ball:

But there are other reasons.

Rockets should keep assets at Ball's expense

The Hornets aren't going to give up Ball for cheap.

This is their presumptive franchise player. The Hornets will want the sun, moon, and stars, and the Rockets don't need Ball badly enough to give up any of them.

They have the best Offensive Rating (123.0) in the NBA. The Rockets have accomplished that feat by running their offense through Alperen Sengun. Meanwhile, Reed Sheppard is arguably the best shooter in the NBA - he's a much better fit alongside Sengun than the inconsistent Ball.

There was a time when this author would have fiercely advocated for Ball. That time has passed. He has long proven himself to be one of the biggest injury liabilities in the NBA, and he doesn't have the right skillset for this roster.

If they even want a point guard, the Rockets should look elsewhere.