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LaMelo Ball has been out since December 5th.
The Charlotte Hornets have had to deal with injuries to LaMelo Ball for the majority of his career. Ball has been one of the more injury-prone players in the NBA, but his skill and talent level can not be denied. His ankles have been the main problem, and it is no different with his latest absence.
Ball has been out since getting hurt in the December 5th game against the Toronto Raptors. The good news is the Hornets will be getting their star guard back as early as Thursday night. Per Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Ball has been upgraded to probable before the Hornets’ tilt with the Atlanta Hawks.
The probable status does not guarantee Ball will be active, but there is a great chance he plays.
Hornets Without LaMelo Ball This Season
The Hornets have had to play plenty of games without Ball this year. The 24-year-old has played in just 16 of the team’s 26 games. The ankle injury has been the thing that has plagued him not just this year, but his whole career.
Without Ball this season, the Hornets are just 3-7. Their 5-11 record with him on the court is not much better, but the impact of his absence is felt. In the 10 games he has been out, the Hornets are averaging 3.8 fewer points per game. It does not seem like a lot, but it matters.
The one area where Ball actually makes the Hornets worse is the defensive end of the court. When the former first-round pick is on the court, Charlotte allows 121 points per game compared to 114.3 without him. On the season, Ball is tied for the third-worst defensive rating on the Hornets.
Ball allows opponents to shoot just under 50% on him, including 39.2% from beyond the arc. He also allows 5.9 offensive rebounds per game. He is an offense-first point guard, and it shows on the floor. When Ball is fully healthy, the Hornets will need him to be more defensive if they are going to start winning some games.
Nonetheless, Ball is probable for Thursday’s game against Atlanta. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm Eastern Time.
Ball’s Trade Rumors
Ball has been at the center of trade rumors since admitting he is frustrated in Charlotte. Although the All-Star guard disputed those claims, Ball is still unhappy with the team’s lack of success since he has been there.
Because of his frustrations, Ball remains at the center of trade talks. Despite his injury history, the Hornets would receive a massive haul if they were to trade him. The injuries will remain a concern for any team that acquires Ball, but his talent will overshadow the doubts.
If a team is going to acquire Ball, they would have to shed some cap space. After this season, Ball is still under three years of team control. However, he is owed north of $40 million in each of those three seasons. In fact, Ball is owed $46,394,000 in the final year of his contract. The control is enticing, but the price tag is what will hold teams back.
The NBA trade deadline is not until February, so the Hornets have plenty of time to shop him around if they are going to send him away.
Cam Zunkel Cam Zunkel has been a sports journalist since 2022. He covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Cam also covers multiple MLB teams for On SI – part of the Sports Illustrated Brand. He is a former collegiate baseball player with two stops in the independent Frontier League. More about Cam Zunkel
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