LaMelo Ball Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LaMelo Ball Officially Out For Season After Ankle Surgery

March 1st, 2023 at 8:24pm CST by Rory Maher

Point guard LaMelo Ball underwent successful surgery to repair his fractured right ankle, the Hornets announced in a press release. He has been ruled out for the rest of the season and is expected to make a full recovery, per the team.

The non-contact injury occurred when Ball fell awkwardly after a behind-the-back dribble during the third quarter of Monday’s victory over Detroit. He also missed a significant amount of games early in ’22/23 due to three left ankle sprains.

Still just 21 years old, Ball was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2020 draft. In 36 games (35.2 MPG) this season, he averaged 23.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 8.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .411/.376/.836 shooting.

As a former first-round pick entering his fourth season, Ball will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. It will be an interesting offseason for the Hornets, as they currently hold the league’s fourth-worst record at 20-44 and figure to land an early lottery pick in the upcoming draft.

LaMelo Ball Fractures Right Ankle, Out For Season

February 28th, 2023 at 10:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

FEBRUARY 28: Ball will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his right ankle, confirms Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 27: Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball suffered a fractured right ankle against Detroit on Monday night, the team’s PR department tweets.

Though no recovery timeline has been formally announced, it’s safe to say it’s a season-ending injury. The non-contact injury occurred when Ball fell awkwardly after a behind-the-back dribble during the third quarter.

Ball has been snakebit by ankle injuries this season. He sprained his left ankle multiple times.

His first ankle injury occurred during a preseason game on October 10 and he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain the following day.

Ball missed the first 13 games of the regular season with the injury, then re-injured his ankle in his third game back on November 16. He missed an additional 11 games while recovering from the second sprain before returning to action in December. Ball sprained the ankle once more in mid-January.

Ball has appeared in just 36 games this season. He was averaging 23.4 points, 8.5 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest entering Monday’s game. Charlotte is on a five-game winning streak after defeating the Pistons but will have to finish out most or all of the schedule without its top player.

Ball is still on his rookie contract through next season. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension of up to five years this offseason.

Injury Updates: LaMelo, Martin, Dragic, Gallinari, Ingram

January 23rd, 2023 at 7:28pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Star Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball will not play in tonight’s contest against the Jazz, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Ball has been sidelined since the 18th due to ankle and wrist injuries. Ball has missed 25 games thus far this year with various ailments, mostly related to his left ankle.

When he has been available, Ball has put up solid numbers. The 6’7″ guard is averaging 23.5 PPG on .409/.370/.875 shooting splits, 8.2 APG, 5.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG for the 13-34 Hornets.

Boone adds that Charlotte small forward Cody Martin, who has appeared in just seven games all year due to a knee injury, has also been ruled out for this evening as a result of left knee soreness.

We have more injury news:

Bulls reserve point guard Goran Dragic will miss tonight’s game against the Hawks and possibly all of the team’s forthcoming three-game road trip, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (via Twitter). Bulls head coach Billy Donovan indicated that, should Dragic begin to feel better, there is a chance he catches up with the team later on during the road jaunt.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla offered a minor update on the recovery of injured forward Danilo Gallinari, who tore his ACL before the start of the season, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I saw him jogging on the treadmill and I was like, ‘I haven’t seen you run much faster than that in a game,'” Mazzulla joked. “So I thought he was playing tonight.” The Celtics still expect Gallinari to miss the whole 2022/23 season.
The Pelicans are “hopeful” that star forward Brandon Ingram can rejoin his club at some point during New Orleans’ current stretch of home games, per Erin Summers of the ACC Stars podcast (via Twitter). “I’m going to see how I feel, but that’s the plan,” Ingram said of his return timeline (Twitter link). Ingram has been unavailable since November 25 due to a toe contusion. Summers adds that Naji Marshall played in half of the team’s practice, and that All-Star forward Zion Williamson will undergo imaging this week.

Southeast Notes: Hachimura, Porzingis, Ball, Strus

January 22nd, 2023 at 9:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards forward Rui Hachimura may have raised his trade value with a 30-point performance Saturday night, but he wanted to avoid discussing a potential deal after the game, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. “No comment,” Hachimura told reporters when they asked if he has requested a trade, although he indicated that he’s looking for a comfortable situation, whether that’s in Washington or somewhere else.

“I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player,” Hachimura said. “And I want to be somewhere that loves my — likes my game, you know? … I just want to be somewhere that trusts, believes in me. Just I can be myself — that’s my goal.”

Wallace confirms a report from The Athletic this week that the Wizards have discussed a potential Hachimura trade with several teams. The 24-year-old became an instant starter after being selected with the ninth pick in the 2019 draft, but injuries and other roadblocks have limited his effectiveness since then. The team didn’t reach a rookie scale extension with Hachimura before the October deadline, so he’s headed for free agency this summer.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Kristaps Porzingis left Saturday’s game with a sprained ankle in the third quarter, but the Wizards are optimistic about his prognosis, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “Sprained ankle. He’ll be evaluated tomorrow,” coach Wes Unseld Jr. said after the game. “We’ll see where it is. I don’t think it’s too bad, but fingers crossed.” Porzingis has experienced frequent health issues throughout his career, but he’s been relatively injury-free this season, appearing in 41 of the team’s 46 games.
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is quickly recovering from a sprained ankle he suffered Wednesday, but a right wrist problem may be a bigger concern, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Ball banged his wrist during the same game, which raises concerns because he had surgery on his right hand as a rookie. “The wrist had been not hurting, but ever since I broke it, it’s been the same little one (thing),” Ball said. “In Houston, I was fine with it until I hit it again … So, yeah once I get over that little hump I think I’ll be smooth.”
Max Strus‘ flexibility has been valuable for the Heat in an injury-filled season, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The impending free agent has played 24 games as a starter and 21 off the bench and has seen time at every position except center.

Injury Notes: Ball, Kleber, Wade, Okeke, Okogie

January 19th, 2023 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball suffered his third left ankle sprain this season in yesterday’s victory over Houston. Ball and teammate P.J. Washington were contesting a layup by Jabari Smith Jr. when Washington landed on Ball’s ankle (YouTube link via ESPN).

While the injury certainly looked painful, the 21-year-old sounds fairly confident he won’t miss as much time as he did with his previous sprains, which sidelined him for 13 and 11 games, respectively.

“It feels a little bit better,” Ball said, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “It doesn’t feel like those other ones. … I can walk, so take it day-by-day and see what it is.”

Boone writes that the young All-Star didn’t require an X-Ray or other tests to determine the severity of the injury.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

Maxi Kleber, who underwent surgery on December 20 to repair a torn hamstring, says he’s targeting a return to the Mavericks‘ lineup next month, though he isn’t committed to that timeline (Twitter video link via Bally Sports Southwest). “I’m not out for the season,” the German big man said. “I can’t give an exact date, but I hope I’m gonna be back… preferably before All-Star break, but I don’t want to jinx anything or say anything or make promises. … But that’s the goal.”
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who has been sidelined since December 2 due to a shoulder ailment, suffered a setback in his rehab process earlier this month, injuring his ankle when he stepped on a player’s foot during practice, a source tells Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. “He’s not (doing) five-on-five yet,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Tuesday. “Again, because of where he was before, it won’t need as much to get him back to going because it wasn’t as big of a setback.”
The return of Magic forward Chuma Okeke isn’t imminent, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel (subscriber link). Okeke has yet to resume contact work after undergoing a procedure on his left knee in December. Price adds within the same story that forward Jonathan Isaac is expected to play in a third G League game for the Lakeland Magic on Thursday as he makes his way back from an ACL injury.
Suns wing Josh Okogie broke his nose in Monday’s game in Memphis when he took an inadvertent elbow from teammate Deandre Ayton, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Okogie is listed as out for Thursday — it’s unclear how much additional time he might miss.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

LaMelo Ball Suffers Another Ankle Sprain

January 18th, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball suffered a left ankle sprain in the third quarter of Wednesday’s game in Houston and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the team announced (via Twitter).

According to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), Ball was stepped on by teammate P.J. Washington, which apparently caused the sprain. Ball went back to the locker room before being ruled out.

Unfortunately, this is the third time Ball has sprained his left ankle in 2022/23. His first ankle injury occurred during a preseason game on October 10 and he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain the following day.

Ball missed the first 13 games of the regular season with the injury, then re-injured his ankle in his third game back on November 16. He missed an additional 11 games while recovering from the second sprain before returning to action last month.

A first-time All-Star in ’21/22, Ball is putting up big numbers in his third season, averaging 24.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 8.4 APG and 1.1 SPG on .415/.374/.870 shooting through 21 games (34.8 MPG). The Hornets have struggled both with and without him, however, as they’re 6-16 in games he’s played and 6-18 when he hasn’t, for an overall record of 12-34.

If Ball misses additional time, look for players like Dennis Smith Jr. and Bryce McGowens to get more minutes.

LaMelo Ball Returning To Action On Wednesday

December 14th, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Luke Adams

5:05pm: Ball will be “active and available” for tonight’s game against the Pistons, the Hornets confirmed (via Twitter)

11:17am: Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game against Detroit and is aiming to return to action, barring a setback during pregame warmups, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) classifies Ball as “optimistic” about playing on Wednesday, while Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) says the former No. 3 overall pick is “hopeful” to return.

Ball, who missed the first 13 games of the Hornets’ season due to a left ankle sprain, re-injured his ankle in his third game back on November 16. He has been sidelined for 11 more games since then and has now been on the shelf for 24 of 27 total contests during the first third of the season.

The Hornets have struggled mightily without their All-Star available this fall, going 6-18 in the games Ball missed. They won one of the three he played, as the 21-year-old averaged 19.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per night. Charlotte is currently on a five-game losing streak.

The Hornets will host the Pistons tonight and the Hawks on Friday. Assuming Ball returns and makes it through those two games without aggravating his ankle, he should be good to go for the team’s six-game road trip that begins on Sunday in Denver.

Hornets’ LaMelo Ball Re-Injures Left Ankle, Out At Least Friday

November 17th, 2022 at 1:09pm CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 17: Ball did not practice on Thursday and will not play on Friday versus Cleveland, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“We’ll be without him here,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “I don’t think we have any idea how long.”

Clifford also told reporters that Ball had an X-ray after Wednesday’s game, which came back negative.

NOVEMBER 16: Point guard LaMelo Ball, who just made his 2022/23 regular season debut on Saturday, re-injured his left ankle late in Wednesday’s loss to Indiana and did not return, the Hornets announced (via Twitter).

According to the Hornets, Ball suffered a left ankle sprain — the same injury that caused him to miss the team’s first 13 games. He initially injured his ankle in preseason and it was fairly serious, since it was a Grade 2 sprain.

A first-time All-Star last season, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.6 steals on .429/.389/.872 shooting in 75 games (32.3 MPG). While he had to shake off some rust in his first two games back this season, he was having a big night Wednesday prior to the injury, recording 26 points and six assists in 37 minutes.

After making the play-in tournament in each of the past two seasons, the Hornets have struggled early on in ’22/23, with Wednesday’s loss dropping their record to 4-12. In addition to Ball, Terry Rozier (ankle), Cody Martin (knee surgery) and Gordon Hayward (shoulder) have all had extended injury absences, and backup point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has missed the past two games with his own left ankle sprain (Twitter link).

If Ball and Smith miss more time with their ankle sprains, Theo Maledon and James Bouknight should see an increase in minutes.

Southeast Notes: Clifford, Ball, Banchero, Collins

November 14th, 2022 at 7:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets head coach Steve Clifford believes the team can dispel the notion of being soft once it overcomes injuries, he told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.

“I think that we are very much viewed as a finesse offensive team and I think there is a lot of toughness here. … When we have everybody healthy we are going to be a team that plays with a lot of physicality,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t be good at all those energy effort areas. Defensive rebounding, defensive transition, keeping the ball out of the paint, being good at loose balls, being good at screening. I don’t see why we can’t do that. So I think that for me is a real positive.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets star LaMelo Ball struggled with his shooting and committed five fouls in his season debut against Miami on Saturday. Still, Ball – who had 15 points, six rebounds and six assists – was just happy to get back in action, according to Boone. “I feel straight,” Ball said. “More games, it will get easier. So, I think I’m in a good spot.”
The top pick in the draft, the Magic‘s Paolo Banchero, missed his third consecutive game on Monday due to a left ankle sprain, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. Banchero was off to a sparkling start to his NBA career before suffering the injury. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
After scoring 20-plus points in his first two games, Hawks forward John Collins has averaged 10.4 points in his last 11. Collins said it’s just a matter of touches, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. He has taken 10 or fewer shots in seven of his last nine games. “I definitely feel like I can shoot the damn ball,” Collins said. “But, you know, sometimes it’s just hard to get a rhythm. I feel like my rhythm might be just a little bit off, but I’m respecting the game and trying to continue to stay in the gym and shoot and not really think too much about it.”

LaMelo Ball May Make Season Debut On Saturday

November 12th, 2022 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, who has been sidelined for the entire regular season so far due to a left ankle sprain, is being upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game in Miami, league sources tell Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). The Hornets have since confirmed Ball’s new designation (Twitter link).

While that doesn’t mean Ball is a lock to play tonight, Boone says there’s a possibility the point guard will be able to make his season debut vs. the Heat. If Ball is ultimately ruled out for Saturday’s game, his next opportunity to make his return would come on Monday in Orlando.

A first-time All-Star in 2021/22, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game in 75 starts (32.3 MPG) for the Hornets, with a shooting line of .429/.389/.872. He sustained his ankle injury during a preseason game on October 10 and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain the following day.

In Ball’s absence, Terry Rozier has taken on more ball-handling responsibilities and Dennis Smith Jr. has become a key part of Charlotte’s rotation. Smith, who came to training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, was expected to provide some depth behind Ball at the point, but has instead started 11 of 13 games and averaged nearly 30 minutes per night, putting up 10.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 3.6 RPG.

The Hornets have lost their last seven games and are now 3-10 on the season, so getting Ball back in the lineup will be crucial if they want to turn things around and vie for a playoff or play-in spot.