SUMMARY
- LaMelo Ball is expected to miss the remainder of the 2023-2024 NBA season.
- Ball has played in just 22 games this season.
LaMelo Ball is expected to miss the remainder of the 2023-2024 NBA season. As the majority of basketball fans should be aware by now, LaMelo is the franchise star for the Charlotte Hornets and has been the face of the team in recent times.
Although there is no denying the talent and potential that the young NBA star possesses, he has not been as healthy or consistent on the court as Hornets fans would expect. Since it has now been revealed that he will miss the rest of this season, a closer look at LaMelo’s current situation is required.
LaMelo Ball played in just 22 games this season
At this point in time, all of the teams across the NBA have played in more than 70 games of the 82-game regular season and are in the final stretch before the playoffs. However, LaMelo last stepped on the court for the Hornets back on January 26th and has missed more than 2 months of basketball. He sustained an ankle injury and is not expected to return in time before the end of the season.
Sources: Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball – out since Jan. 26 with ankle injury – will miss the remainder of the season as he continues rehab. Ball averaged a career high 23.9 points in 22 games this season. pic.twitter.com/eZhQkJzSV5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2024
To make matters worse, Ball has played in just 22 games this season, indicating that he was dealing with a plethora of injuries prior to the most recent ankle injury. This is undoubtedly a cause for concern among Charlotte Hornets fans given that their team currently holds the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference with a subpar record of 18 wins and 54 losses.
If Ball was an ordinary role player with negligible impact on his team, there is no denying that his missing a significant amount of time would have been overlooked. However, those who have watched him play in his 22 games this season will know that he is certainly one of the best, if not the best player on the Hornets’ roster.
Ball was averaging a career-high 24 points and 8 assists
Although Ball is beginning to establish a reputation for being injury-prone and unreliable, it would be hard to deny his value and impact for the Hornets. LaMelo has been averaging 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8 assists this season. Those numbers indicate that he is quite a well-rounded player and a better scorer when compared to the majority of the stars in the NBA.
Since LaMelo does not have an experienced or significantly talented roster to play alongside, it is no real surprise that the team has fallen out of relevance in his absence. Hornets fans are left hoping that he is able to make a complete recovery and stay healthy for next season.
