LaVar Ball says the Charlotte Hornets are screwing up the LiAngelo Ball situation ... telling TMZ Sports he's convinced the team is making a massive mistake by not pairing Gelo with his brother, LaMelo Ball, on its NBA roster.
"They don't understand what they got," the Big Baller said of the Hornets out in L.A. this week. "They need to let my boy go ahead and play."
"I dropped them a superstar in the G-League and they don't know what to do with him."
The Hornets actually signed Gelo back in October ... but waived him just a day later, and he's been on the team's G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, ever since.
Gelo has played decently with the Swarm -- he scored 22 points in the season opener earlier this month -- but the Hornets have still yet to pull him up to their roster.
LaVar clearly thinks that's a mistake ... saying the team needs to "bring him in" and "let him play with Melo."
If Charlotte passes, LaVar says the ideal spot for his middle son is in Los Angeles ... telling us he would LOVE to see LiAngelo in a Clippers jersey.