Hornets star LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the Hornets’ season as he undergoes surgery on his ankle and get his wrist fixed, the team confirmed. The 23-year-old will see his season end prematurely with Charlotte having 10 games remaining. At 18-54, the Hornets have been out of the playoff picture for quite some time.
Hornets Superstar To Miss Rest of Season With Surgery
Point guard LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the Hornets’ season after he decided to undergo surgery on his ankle and have a minor procedure on his wrist, two injuries that have bothered him throughout his checkered season. The recent news marks the second consecutive year after the Hornets ruled Ball out for the season after he missed time in the 2023-24 season to heal his ankle.
Ball, who averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and nearly five rebounds throughout the season, struggled with his scoring efficiency and staying on the court. He posted 40.5/33.9/84.3 splits throughout the season. Ball played 47 games this season, the most since his All-Star season in 2021-22. The Chino Hills alum led fan voting among Eastern Conference guards amid swirling trade rumors.
The two procedures are relatively minor and aim to allow Ball to heal for a productive offseason. Team doctors said Ball played through the pain for weeks before deciding to undergo surgery. The 18-54 Hornets will likely rely on a mix of KJ Simpson, Damion Baugh, and Nick Smith Jr. to replace the backcourt hole Ball’s injury leaves them. Their Friday night game at Toronto, and the rest of their schedule, will prove crucial to determining the 2025 draft lottery order.
2024-25 Season Proves Mixed for Ball and Charlotte
With another season in a lengthy rebuild for the Hornets, expectations for this young Charlotte team were low. At best, they could compete for a play-in seed. At worst, they would “compete” for a top-three draft pick in 2025. The Hornets will end the season with one of the league’s worst records, and Ball will see his season cut short due to injuries, but there is still a budding sense of optimism growing out of Spectrum Center. Charlotte’s new leadership group is amassing draft picks, and the young core has proven to have potential throughout the season. Ball had a productive season, had a career-best year in scoring, and proved himself as an elite offensive force when healthy. He grew under new coach Charles Lee and came close to earning his second All-Star nod.
The future is bright for one of the league’s youngest franchises and management. Their plans for the 2025-26 season and beyond rest with the draft in June. Although a shot at drafting Duke superstar Cooper Flagg isn’t guaranteed, the 2025 draft class is one of the most talented in recent history. If there was ever a year to tank as hard as Charlotte has, this is it.
Meanwhile, Charlotte will play ten more games this season. Although they extended the league’s longest playoff drought with a 122-105 loss to Miami on Sunday, they still have bright young players ready to play in seemingly meaningless games. Although Charlotte has nothing to play for through April, promising players like Baugh, Simpson, rookie Tidjane Salaun, and DaQuan Jeffries can slowly inch into Charlotte’s long-term plans with solid performances starting today.
Photo credit: © Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
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