LaMelo Ball

Southeast Notes: Heat, Spoelstra, LaMelo, Magic

April 2nd, 2025 at 7:38pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

It’s possible the Heat will control two first-round picks in what’s expected to be a stacked 2025 draft.

According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, Miami will earn Golden State’s 2025 first-rounder should it fall outside the top 10. Given that the Warriors have now climbed into the West’s fifth seed, that’s looking highly likely. The Heat would also retain their own first-rounder if they miss out on the playoffs.

Currently the No. 9 seed in the East with a 34-41 record, Miami is locked into at least a play-in tournament berth. The Heat would land in this year’s draft lottery if they’re eliminated in the play-in tournament. With the 11th-worst record in the NBA as of this writing, Miami would have only an outside chance to land the top overall pick or a top-four overall selection, but could end up with two picks in the top 20.

There’s more from around the Southeast:

Things have hardly gone to plan for the Heat this season on the whole. Just two years removed from their second NBA Finals appearance with Jimmy Butler, the All-Star swingman demanded a trade out of town. When he left, his team sank in the East standings. Now, head coach Erik Spoelstra is grappling with Miami’s new fate: a likely play-in tournament appearance, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes. “Are we where we had planned to be as an organization?” Spoelstra asked. “No, but there is great competition now league-wide. And when you have something to play for as an organization, it’s fun and it matters still.”
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has undergone successful arthroscopic surgeries on his right wrist and right ankle, the team announced today (Twitter link). According to the Hornets, the 6’7″ pro is expected to resume full basketball activities within five or six weeks. Charlotte has long since been eliminated from the postseason. In his 47 healthy bouts this season, Ball logged averages of 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game.
The Magic enjoyed a spectacular night shooting from distance during a win over San Antonio on Tuesday, nailing 18 triples. But that’s more the exception than the rule for a club that has been struggling to convert from long range overall in 2024/25, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “It changes our game completely when we have shooting like that and guys just can’t sit in the paint,” star forward Franz Wagner said. Orlando’s 31.4% three-point rate this season ranks dead last among all 30 NBA clubs. The Magic’s 35.3 outside attempts per game put them 23rd in terms of frequency.

Hornets Notes: Ball, Simpson, Playoff Drought, Nurkic

March 31st, 2025 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

Hornets head coach Charles Lee tried to find the bright side of the injuries that will keep LaMelo Ball out for the rest of the season, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The team announced Friday that Ball will have arthroscopic surgery to address a right ankle impingement, along with a minor procedure on his right wrist. His recovery time is projected at four to six weeks before he can resume basketball activities.

“Kind of like a blessing in disguise, or the good side of things, is that they are minor procedures with short timelines and so hopefully he’s got a great offseason,” Lee said. “I know it’s a testament to him already, and the performance staff, and everyone that works with him to make sure that he kind of attacks this offseason with the right mindset and approach to just keep getting better.”

Ball appeared in 47 games this season, which is his highest total since 2021/22. Ankle issues have prevented him from playing consistently for the past several months, and the Hornets rarely used him in both games of back-to-backs. He has four seasons remaining on his maximum-salary rookie scale extension and is still owed $168.7MM.

“That type of player, I think that what he’s been able to accomplish this season, he set a tone as one of the leaders of our team, in terms of just trying to be available,” Lee added. “He’s been battling through a ton and the fact that he’s kind of had this warrior mentality to try to show up every night … Unfortunate to lose him. But I know he’s going to attack his rehab with a great mindset.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

Ball’s absence has created an opportunity for rookie point guard KJ Simpson, who made his seventh start of the season on Sunday, Boone states in a separate story. After missing Summer League and the early part of training camp due to a hamstring injury, Simpson believes he benefited from the time he spent with the Hornets’ G League affiliate. “Honestly, I think that if I hadn’t gone down to the G League I’d be able to find that confidence and that rhythm that I was able to come out and show fans, ‘Oh shoot, that’s the spark and that’s what he got drafted for’ because it was definitely hard,” Simpson said. “Especially when you are coming in injured, you already feel so far behind.”
The NBA’s longest active playoff drought was extended to nine years when the Hornets were officially eliminated last week, Boone adds in another piece. There was optimism when the season began, but that fell apart quickly amid injuries and poor play. “The playoffs, there’s nothing like the playoffs, being in this time of year fighting for your seeding and what not,” said Josh Green, who was traded to Charlotte after playing in last year’s NBA Finals with Dallas. “So, it should make everyone hungry watching the playoffs this year. Everybody should be motivated. It’s obviously tough, but at the end of the day we’ve got to make sure that we are ready to go next year, and good habits start now for us.”
In an interview with Toni Canyameras of El Mundo Deportivo, Jusuf Nurkic said being traded from Phoenix to Charlotte has been good for his career and he “can definitely see a long future here.” Nurkic refused to discuss his time with the Suns, which included losing his starting job in January and then being benched, but he acknowledged the need to adapt to changing circumstances. “You have to play roles,” he said. “Sometimes they don’t turn out the way you think. But you have to stay strong. The NBA changes overnight, and suddenly you’re in a great position playing your best basketball.”

LaMelo Ball Undergoing Procedures On Ankle, Wrist

March 28th, 2025 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Injury Notes: Thompson, Wiggins, Zion, Hornets, Flagg

March 21st, 2025 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets wing Amen Thompson will return on Friday vs. Miami and will immediately reenter the team’s starting lineup, head coach Ime Udoka said today (Twitter link via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Thompson won’t be on a minutes restriction after missing the past six games due to a sprained ankle.

Besides being good news for the Rockets, who are vying for playoff position and currently control the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Thompson’s return bodes well for his end-of-season award eligibility. He’ll reach the 65-game minimum if he plays at least 20 minutes in seven more games — Houston has 12 left on its schedule.

Thompson looks like a solid candidate to receive consideration for Most Improved Player and All-Defensive honors this spring.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins is returning on Friday vs. Houston after missing two games with a leg contusion. He had originally been listed as questionable with an ankle impingement. Head coach Erik Spoelstra said the team will be “mindful” of Wiggins’ minutes in his first game back, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be inactive on Friday vs. Minnesota due to a low back contusion, according to the team (Twitter link). Although Williamson has been fairly healthy for the past two-plus months, he has appeared in just 30 total games so far this season.
The Hornets have ruled out several players on the second end of a back-to-back set in Oklahoma City on Friday, including LaMelo Ball (right ankle injury management) and Mark Williams (left foot injury management), both of whom played key roles in Thursday’s win over New York. Marcus Garrett, who has played rotation minutes over the past four games, is listed as “not with team” on the final night of his 10-day contract.
It’s not an NBA injury, but Duke star Cooper Flagg said ahead of the team’s NCAA tournament opener that he’s “pain-free” after injuring his ankle last Thursday against Georgia Tech (story via David Hale of ESPN). The projected No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 draft didn’t have to play a ton on Friday, as the Blue Devils rolled to a 93-49 win over No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s. Flagg had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes.

Southeast Notes: Risacher, Young, Carter, Hornets

March 19th, 2025 at 5:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rookie of the Year race is still wide open, but Hawks guard Trae Young believes teammate Zaccharie Risacher should be the favorite, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The top pick in last year’s draft has been given more responsibility than some of his competitors, becoming an instant starter for a team that appears headed to the play-in tournament.

“He should be, in my eyes, and I’m not saying it because I’m biased, but I think (he) should be Rookie of the Year,” Young said. “What he’s been doing this year, he’s been thrown into the fire as a starter. You put him up against some of the guys in the running. I think his numbers speak for himself, too. So he’s just not even focused on that. And that’s the best part about it. And we’re kind of, we’re kind of making it easy for him to just focus on the game, focus himself and having fun and having games like tonight, and just letting it loose and letting it fly.”

Risacher, who won’t turn 20 until next month, has posted solid numbers in his first season, averaging 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game with .443/.350/.719 shooting stats. His teammates have tried to ease the transition as he adjusts to the NBA after playing in France, and Risacher said it has helped.

“I feel like every game I feel more comfortable. I’m able to learn like every possession,” Risacher said. “Honestly, it’s a new environment. I got great teammates, too. They helped me a lot on the court and off the court, and I’m just in great condition to learn, with, like, the coaches, my teammates, the organization. We’re playing a lot of games, so it’s like it’s great for young player like me to be able to compete every night with those guys.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

A technical foul called against Young late in the third quarter of the Hawks‘ win over Charlotte on Tuesday has been rescinded, the league announced (via Twitter).
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. is having a down year statistically, but he proved at Cleveland on Sunday that he can still affect the outcome of a game, observes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Carter had 16 points and 14 rebounds as Orlando snapped the Cavaliers’ 16-game winning streak. “Wendell was super aggressive in the game being really physical,” Franz Wagner said. “When he’s like that, he’s one of the best bigs in the league. He was a game-changer on both sides of the floor for us in that game. He’s one of those guys when his spirit is like that, it carries over to a lot of the other guys as well. When I talked about aggressiveness, I don’t just mean making shots or anything like that. It’s just the demeanor that they played with, finding different ways, especially on defense, to change the game.”
LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges both sat out the Hornets‘ game Tuesday night, and that could happen more often as the season winds down, suggests Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Eastern Notes: Ball, Turner, Vucevic, Agbaji, Raptors

March 17th, 2025 at 9:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets head coach Charles Lee heaps a lot of praise on his star player LaMelo Ball. However, there are areas where Ball can continue to grow, he told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.

“The goal for him is to continue to get better every day and I think try to work on his leadership,” Lee said. “But outside of the leadership, just being a great two-way player on both sides of the court. I think that goes into how he can continue to lead by example with his daily defensive preparation. I think that I’ve seen a lot more on-ball pressure, shift activity and multiple efforts from him over the last couple of weeks, which has been great for himself, for our team.

“And I think offensively he continues to take what the game is giving him, which was a big part of our success last game (in San Antonio). If they are going to put two on the ball, he’s trusting the pass, he’s trusting his teammates. If they don’t put two on the ball, it’s a great opportunity for him to be able to score. There’s so many elements that he can continue to add to his game, certainly with the ball. He’s getting better off the ball and that’s all we can ask of him, is to continue to compete and trust his teammates and keep building his leadership.”

In 44 starts, Ball is averaging a career-best 25.4 points, 7.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds. He’s considered a player to monitor going forward as a possible trade candidate, though at least one report suggested the Hornets have no interest in moving him.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Pacers have struggled recently, dropping four of their last six games. Big man Myles Turner feels Indiana can still make a deep run in the postseason, as it did last spring. “We just have all the pieces we need. I think that at times, sometimes teams are like, ‘If only we had this, if only we had that.’ That’s not really the case for us,” Turner told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “I think we have everything we need to compete. It’s just a matter of making all the pieces fit and just get hot at the right time.”
The Bulls currently hold the last play-in spot in the East. Center Nikola Vucevic, a prime trade candidate this offseason as his contract expires after next season, says he remains focused on the postseason. “I’m totally focused on being here and trying to help the team make this push,” Vucevic told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “Regardless of what’s going on, I try to stay professional. I want to be a teammate that brings it every day, works hard. You don’t want to be the guy where everybody is locked in, and you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing. Totally locked in. Trying to find my rhythm with the [calf] injury. I think if we get healthy, we have a shot, and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Raptors wing Ochai Agbaji returned on Sunday after missing seven games due to an ankle sprain. He made a significant impact, Michael Grange of Sportnet notes. Agbaji finished with 19 points in a three-point loss to the Trail Blazers while displaying his usual defensive work ethic and athleticism. Toronto has already exercised its $6,383,525 option on Agbaji for next season. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July.
Any efforts the Raptors have made to go into tank mode are being neutralized by some of the other teams aiming for the lottery, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. Toronto won games against Washington, Philadelphia and Utah last week.

Active Offseason On Tap For Hornets?

March 14th, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the trade was later voided by the Lakers, the fact that the Hornets were willing to move center Mark Williams at last month’s deadline raised eyebrows around the NBA, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link), who say that some rival teams are wondering if Charlotte will be open to making significant roster changes this offseason.

“There may not be too many players on their roster they’re not willing to discuss in deals this summer,” one rival executive told ESPN. “It may start with Brandon Miller and not go too far after that.”

“(General manager) Jeff Peterson and his group have made a couple of shrewd deals to pick up assets,” a scout said. “They may be thinking of doing a larger surgery to the roster.”

According to Bontemps, the general consensus around the league is that the Hornets have taken the right steps in their rebuilding process since new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin took control of the franchise in 2023. The team has hired Peterson to run the front office and Charles Lee as its head coach, as well as investing heavily in a new practice facility.

“They’re checking the boxes on the things they need to do,” a second scout told ESPN.

The Hornets’ base of young talent includes Miller, LaMelo Ball, Williams, and 2024 lottery pick Tidjane Salaün. The club – which has the NBA’s third-worst record – is in position to add another building block in this year’s draft lottery.

Williams will become eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, so it will be interesting to see whether the front office revisits the idea of trading him before he signs his second contract. But the bigger question in Charlotte is whether the team might be willing to make Ball available.

While sources tell ESPN that the Hornets have no interest in moving Ball, a report earlier this month suggested that he’s worth keeping an eye on going forward and Bontemps agrees, noting that the star guard is the only one of those potential Hornets cornerstones who is already on his second contract. Ball is still in year one of that maximum-salary deal, but he could sign an extension as early as 2026, so it’s not out of the question that the franchise could reach an inflection point with him within the next couple years.

Ball, 23, has averaged a career-best 25.5 points per game this season, but has seen his shooting percentages (.400 FG%, .330 3PT%) decline and has battled injuries throughout his NBA career, having appeared in just 100 of 229 total games since the start of the 2022/23 season.

“LaMelo is the question there,” the second scout told ESPN.

Scotto: Trae Young, LaMelo Ball Among Players To Monitor In Offseason

March 3rd, 2025 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks guard Trae Young has just one guaranteed year left on his contract after this season, with a player option for 2026/27. As he nears potential free agency, executives around the NBA are wondering whether Atlanta will be looking to extend Young this offseason or whether he might emerge as a trade candidate, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

As Scotto notes, Young has spoken about wanting to win a championship in Atlanta with head coach Quin Snyder, and the Hawks have an intriguing collection of young talent around him, including forward Jalen Johnson, defensive ace Dyson Daniels, and 2024’s No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

However, the Hawks have been a middle-of-the-pack team since making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, compiling between 36 and 43 wins and failing to get out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the three years since then — this season, they’re on pace for 37 wins and another play-in spot. They also don’t control their own first-round picks in any of the next three drafts.

Additionally, Scotto writes, Hawks ownership will be looking to avoid surpassing the luxury tax threshold in 2025/26, which could affect their ability to re-sign free agents such as Clint Capela, Caris LeVert, and/or Larry Nance Jr. — or to bring in additional talent.

Atlanta did have talks with the Pelicans prior to this year’s trade deadline about forward Brandon Ingram, with Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic among the names that came up in those multi-team discussions, Scotto reports. Ingram was ultimately sent to Toronto, with the Hawks sending Hunter to Cleveland and Bogdanovic to the Clippers.

Shortly after the trade deadline passed last month, NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) referred to Young’s future in Atlanta as “murky,” while Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) wondered if the 26-year-old might request a trade this summer. Scotto doesn’t quite go that far, but says Young’s situation in Atlanta is one that executives around the league will be monitoring in the coming months.

Here’s more from Scotto on players to watch entering the 2025 offseason:

Rival executives are curious about whether point guard LaMelo Ball is still at the forefront of the Hornets‘ long-term plans and will be keeping an eye on him this offseason, Scotto reports. Veteran forward Miles Bridges is another name to watch in Charlotte, since his contract has a declining salary structure that was meant to make it more trade-friendly, Scotto adds. It also remains to be seen whether the Hornets will put center Mark Williams back on the trade block after a deadline deal with the Lakers fell through due to medical concerns.
RJ Barrett‘s name came up in the Ingram trade talks between the Raptors and Pelicans, but New Orleans didn’t view the forward as an ideal fit on their roster, according to Scotto, who suggests that Barrett could emerge as a trade candidate this summer with Toronto prioritizing Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and Gradey Dick. The former No. 3 overall pick is under contract for $57MM+ across two more years after this season.
NBA executives widely expect Wizards forward Khris Middleton to pick up his $33.35MM player option for 2025/26, Scotto reports. If he does, he and guard Marcus Smart – who will have an expiring $21.59MM deal, will be trade candidates to monitor in Washington. The same goes for Richaun Holmes, though his expiring $13.28MM contract only features a small partial guarantee ($250K), so he’s probably more likely to be waived than traded.

Southeast Notes: Anderson, Suggs, Anthony, Smith, Hornets

February 26th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Although Kyle Anderson has been on five different teams over the course of his 11 NBA seasons, the deal that sent him from the Warriors to the Heat earlier this month was the first time he’d been traded, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Anderson says it’s been an adjustment period as his wife and five-year-old son stayed in California to finish the school year.

“It was a big one,” Anderson said of the whirlwind since the trade to the Heat. “I underestimated it, getting traded. I salute anybody that’s been traded multiple times in this league. There was just a lot going on with my experience in Golden State, then getting traded to a new team, not being with my family, being alone. It’s only been a few days and obviously Miami is a great city, but it still has some type of effect on you.”

Anderson wasn’t actually sure which team he’d end up on after it was reported that he might be rerouted to Toronto as part of the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade. Instead, he wound up in Miami. The veteran forward said it was important to him to land with a team where he was “appreciated and wanted,” and he got a call from president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra letting him know the Heat valued him.

“That meant a lot,” Anderson said. “Just letting me know they were happy to have me. That’s all I needed to hear. I didn’t want to go somewhere where I wasn’t really wanted.”

With Nikola Jovic out at least four weeks with a fractured hand, Anderson should continue to see an uptick in minutes. Spoelstra recently praised the 31-year-old’s two-way versatility and basketball IQ, according to Chiang.

Here’s more from the Southeast:

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley shared injury updates today on guards Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). According to Mosley, neither player was able to practice on Wednesday. Suggs will miss his 14th straight on Thursday due to a left quad contusion, while Anthony is questionable vs. Golden State and considered day-to-day. Anthony sustained a hyperextended left knee in Tuesday’s lopsided loss to Cleveland, Beede notes.
After being buried on the depth chart early on in 2024/25, second-year Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. was thrust into a significant rotation role as a result of injuries. As Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, Smith has shown flashes of offensive upside as a starter over the past several weeks, but head coach Charles Lee says he needs to make progress on the other end to level up his game. “Defensively, that’s going to be his next kind of mission to improve upon,” Lee said. “We’ve had some good conversations and he’s been challenged in that area. And knowing Nick and knowing the competitor he is, he’s going to respond with a little more resistance, a little more physicality. The grit, the toughness, the energy that he has on the offensive end, I just want to see that same kind of mindset — how the young kids say, ‘Keep that same energy’ — I want that same energy down at the defensive end, too.”
Will the high-post screening and passing of Jusuf Nurkic be beneficial for Hornets star LaMelo Ball? The veteran big man believes so, according to Boone, who says the pairing should prove fruitful on offense — assuming Ball is able to return soon from an ankle injury. The former No. 3 overall pick is not listed on the injury report for Thursday’s game in Dallas (Twitter link), so he’s considered likely to suit up after appearing in just five of the past 14 contests.

Agent: Lakers Shouldn’t Have Failed Mark Williams’ Physical

February 20th, 2025 at 3:25pm CST by Rory Maher

In a statement released via Excel Sports Management (Twitter link), agent Jeff Schwartz pushed back on the Lakers‘ decision to fail his client’s physical.

The Lakers agreed to trade Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, their unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Hornets for Mark Williams, but later voided the trade over “multiple issues” with Williams’ physical.

“The overwhelming sentiment, after conferring with multiple, nationally recognized doctors, is that the Los Angeles Lakers should not have failed Mark Williams on his physical.

“Mark was ready and able to play for them and should have been given that opportunity,” Schwartz said.

In his first game back with the Hornets following the nixed trade, Williams recorded 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists on Wednesday in a three-point victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles. After the game, he suggested the Lakers may have had buyer’s remorse over all the assets they gave up to acquire him, according to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.

“I don’t know for them, if it was what they gave up or went into that reasoning. But I don’t think it was solely because of my physical,” Williams said. “I’ve been playing all year. And I think my minutes and production on the court speak for itself.”

As Medina notes, Williams missed the majority of last season with a back injury as well as the first 20 games of 2024/25 due to a left foot injury, but he has bounced back by posting some of the best numbers of his career this season, averaging 15.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in 24 appearances (25.2 minutes). The 23-year-old called the past few weeks “crazy” and “tough,” but he’s happy to be back with the Hornets.

“Obviously the last two weeks have been national attention. It’s not really something that happens very often,” Williams said. “So I think just the rest of the way being able to show the player that I am, I feel like I’ve been doing that all year and I’ll just try to continue to do that.”

Williams (return to competition reconditioning) and LaMelo Ball (right ankle injury management) are among several Hornets who will be sidelined for Thursday’s back-to-back against Denver, the team announced (via Twitter).

For the Lakers, Luka Doncic (left calf injury management) and Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery management) will be sidelined for tonight’s back-to-back in Portland, while LeBron James (left foot injury management) is questionable (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group). According to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link), the Lakers are “pleased” with Doncic’s recovery progress and are confident he’ll soon be able to play both ends of back-to-backs.

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