On Monday night, Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball left during the second quarter of their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers with what was an apparent ankle injury.
Hornets Star LaMelo Ball Sidelined By Ankle Injury
Following a made three-point basket, Ball stepped on Lakers defender Jarred Vanderbilt‘s foot, immediately crumbling the ground. The contact was more accidental than incidental. Nonetheless, it was a big blow for the Hornets, who recently lost 2023 No. 2 pick Brandon Miller to a season-ending wrist injury.
Replay of LaMelo Ball rolling his left ankle while backpedaling after hitting a 3. pic.twitter.com/tCx6MBzGuE
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 28, 2025
The timeline for Ball’s injury is unclear. Following the game, Hornets head coach Charles Lee relayed that “they’re still obviously doing some evaluation,” per Jack Maloney of CBS Sports.
“We’ll see what happens tomorrow as he comes in for treatment and stuff. But he did a great job of being in the locker room and being engaged when the guys came off the court,” he adds.
There are a couple of silver linings for the Hornets though. For starters, the NBA All-Star Break (Feb. 14-19) is only a couple of weeks away. From now until then, Charlotte has nine games remaining on their schedule. However, losing those matches won’t hurt them because they’re jostling for lottery rather than playoff position. As a result, Ball could get three weeks for rest and rehabilitation without negatively impacting the team long-term.
Frankly, it’ll likely affect his chances of earning his second All-Star selection more than anything.
A Committee Approach
The Hornets are used to playing without Ball.
That doesn’t make it any easier, as they’re just 43-103 without Ball since selecting him with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, winning just 29.5 percent of their games. In the past three seasons, they’ve been even worse, going 29-89 without the Chino Hills product, winning 24.6 percent of their games.
With so much of the team’s offense revolving around him, particularly this season, it’ll take a committee approach to replace him. On Monday, veteran Vasilije Micic played 33 minutes, his ninth time playing 30+ in 2024-25. While the floor general’s basketball IQ and passing ability are beyond reproach, he doesn’t offer the same potency as a scorer. Tre Mann, who’s averaging a career-high 14.1 points in 24.6 minutes per game, helps. Yet, he’s been sidelined by a back injury since mid-November.
This puts pressure on players like Seth Curry, KJ Simpson, and Isaiah Wong to step up if Ball is out. None of those guards can offer what he does individually. Nonetheless, they all have upside as scorers. By putting their best foot forward offensively and leaving everything on the court defensively, they might be able to manage.
Drafting A Replacement
Those that believe the Hornets would be better off without the 6-foot-7 playmaker might have a point. When he’s healthy, he’s a scintillating scorer with deft touch and a tight handle. When his passes whiz around the court, he’s nothing short of a wizard. His numbers are even more eye-popping.
His career averages of 21.2 points and 7.4 assists per game are the second-highest in his draft class, behind Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, respectively. However, Charlotte would likely benefit from having a healthier face of the franchise.
With that in mind, if Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is available when they’re on the clock, Ball’s days in the nest could be numbered.
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