• Draymond Green accused the Charlotte Hornets of ‘tanking in plain sight’ after LaMelo Ball was removed from the starting lineup.
  • Green raised concerns on his podcast following Golden State’s 136-116 win over Charlotte at Chase Center.
  • Hornets cite load management for the lineup choices; Green says it weakens the team’s offense and visibility of Ball.

H2: Draymond reacts after Warriors beat Hornets

Golden State’s 136-116 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at Chase Center sparked a pointed reaction from Warriors forward Draymond Green. On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show (watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPWZKliYyVA), Green accused the Hornets of openly tanking because the team removed star guard LaMelo Ball from the starting lineup.

Green described the move as “tanking in plain sight,” saying Ball’s absence from the starter’s role made Charlotte’s offense far easier to defend. He recalled being surprised when his team’s scouting meeting revealed Ball wouldn’t start and questioned why the Hornets would limit their own playmaker.

H3: Green’s examples and reaction

Green pointed to multiple instances where he felt Charlotte tamped down Ball’s influence — including a Dec. 31 game and Saturday’s decision to have Ball come off the bench on the first night of a back-to-back. He argued that Ball elevates teammates like Miles Bridges and that limiting his minutes or visibility hurts the Hornets’ offense and the product fans see.

“The offense was so simple to guard when LaMelo not on the floor,” Green said. He added that keeping Ball off the court in key moments suggests the Hornets aren’t prioritizing a competitive approach.

H3: Hornets say it’s load management

Both Hornets coach Charles Lee and LaMelo Ball have pointed to load management and the team’s schedule — Saturday was the first night of a back-to-back — as the explanation for lineup adjustments. Load management has become common across the league to protect star players from injury and fatigue, especially around back-to-back games.

H3: Where the NBA stands on tanking

Tanking has been a recurring issue in the NBA, and Green noted the league is exploring rule changes to discourage deliberate losing. Potential measures under discussion include limits on consecutive top draft picks, pick protections and other draft-related restrictions that could reduce incentives to intentionally underperform.

H2: What’s next

Green said the Hornets should face scrutiny if the pattern continues. For now, Charlotte maintains it’s managing Ball’s minutes with health and long-term performance in mind. The public debate highlights a growing tension between player preservation and competitive integrity.

Embedded: Watch Draymond on “The Draymond Green Show” — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPWZKliYyVA

Short, sharp and direct, Green’s criticism puts fresh attention on Charlotte’s lineup choices and the broader league discussion over how to curb tanking without punishing legitimate load management.

Image Referance: https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/draymond-green-hornets-tanking-lamelo-ball/1908653/