4:26 pm: The Hornets have confirmed Charania’s reporting, officially announcing in a press release that Ball will undergo arthroscopic surgery to address a right ankle impingement and will also have a minor procedure on his right wrist. He’s expected to return to full basketball activities within four-to-six weeks, according to the club.
4:01 pm: Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will undergo a pair of minor procedures to address issues in his right ankle and right wrist, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that Ball will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season.
As Charania details, Ball played through both injuries in recent weeks, but after consultation with team doctors and outside specialists, the decision was made to shut him down and address those ailments sooner rather than later. The hope is that undergoing those two procedures now will allow the 23-year-old to have a “full, productive offseason,” Charania writes.
Ball, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has been plagued by health problems since entering the NBA five years ago. The Hornets star has played more than 51 games in a season just once and has appeared in just 105 of 246 possible contests over the past three years, including 47 this season. That’s his highest total since 2021/22.
He previously underwent surgery on his right ankle in March 2023 and on his right wrist in March 2021.
When he was healthy and available this season, Ball continued to be an effective scorer and play-maker for Charlotte, averaging a career-high 25.2 points to go along with 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 32.0 minutes per game. His shooting efficiency dropped off this season, however — his 40.5% field goal percentage and 33.9% mark on three-pointers were both career lows.
Ball will be entering the second season of a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension in 2025/26. That deal will pay him $168.7MM over the next four years.
While rival executives are monitoring Ball as a possible trade candidate, the Hornets have maintained that they have no interest in moving him.
Played less than 1/2 of all games in past 3 years and still will make more than 40M per year for the next 4 years. Crazy where sport’s income is going.
Yeah but the owners have billions. I don’t feel bad they have to pay it. The little fans Hornet get come to see Lamelo.
Chasing Flagg all year ….. remember the draft
When the LaMelo fans didn’t believe in AE.
Finally his schedule cleared up to make more Puma commercials lol
A big part of a player proving they belong in the league is the simplest concept: You have to be healthy and available to play.
Top-tier injury-prone players do not have the best physiology required to play hundreds of games in a short number of years, may not have the work ethic required to keep their body in the shape required, and usually have agents that constantly push their potential, even when it becomes obvious a player is not going to hold up to consistently help an NBA team win.
The NBA certainly has had a fair number of players in the last ten years that just haven’t held up very well.
The Ball brothers. The leg bone disconnected from the ankle bone, The knee bone disconnected from the ligament bone, The finger bones disconnected from the hand bone and connected to their left nostril and…….So on and so on and so on and so on ad infinitum. Last name should be Cadaver.
That’s what happens when your father works you to death at the age of 5.
wouldn’t be a season if a Ball played most of the games.
Why on earth would CHA trade LaMelo?!?!?
Best player they ever had in franchise history!
Just as well move the team, right?