Ben Johns – the biggest name in American pickleball – has been traded by the Carolina Hogs to Los Angeles Mad Drops in a shock move in the Major League Pickleball (MLP) on Saturday. The amount of money the Mad Drops shelled out to acquire Johns, the No. 1 men’s and mixed doubles player, remains unknown though. The Hogs also traded Etta Tuionetoa to the LA Mad Drops in exchange for Brandon French, who was claimed off waivers by the Mad Drops to replace Quang Duong, whose contract has been terminated by the UPA, and Danna Funaro.

The Carolina Hogs had invested heavily in Johns - they had spent 840,000 draft points on him, as well as a $420,000 keeper fee in 2025 during the first player draft. The signing of Johns showed that the Mad Drops are all‑in on contending for a title in 2025.

But the question remains: what prompted the Carolina Hogs to trade Johns to the Mad Drops despite his credentials as a high-calibre and consistent player?

One of the major reasons behind their decision was financial considerations. The franchise wanted to recoup major funds. Also, with the Hogs no longer in the championship race, they found that trading Johns was the best possible way to rearrange and prepare themselves for the future. The Hogs are currently sitting in 11th place, just outside the top 10 teams that will advance to the playoffs.

Another reason that forced the Hogs to consider selling Johns was the player's below-par performance. For the majority of his time with the Hogs, he struggled and failed to inspire the team to achieve any tangible results. However, Johns has enjoyed considerable success in the MLP format, having won a total of four MLP titles to date.

For the LA Mad Drops, acquiring Johns means greater visibility for the team - including increased viewership, fan engagement, and media interest - while also strengthening their chances of winning the MLP.

However, it remains unclear whether Johns himself requested the trade or if the Hogs took the decision unilaterally. Zubin Mehta, the owner and general manager of the LA Mad Drops, is known for his hands-on involvement with the team, along with their coach Athena Trouillot. Another reason behind the Mad Drops’ decision to acquire Johns was the recent termination of player Quang Duong’s contract, which had left a significant gap in their lineup. Hence, they opted for Johns as his replacement.

Currently holding down sixth spot in the MLP standings, Johns addition to the squad makes them poutright championship contenders. They now have two all-star mixed‑doubles pairs - Johns is likely to pair up with Catherine Parenteau, whom he is very familiar with, and Johnson-Kawamoto to continue competing together. On the gender doubles side, Parenteau and Kawamoto have already been shown to play very well together and Johns and Johnson should make a formidable duo. Johns, Johnson, and Parenteau are also renowned singles players – arguably three of the best in the world.