The Hornets signed Ball (ankle) to a five-year, maximum contract extension worth up to $260 million Saturday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Ball underwent season-ending ankle surgery in March but is expected to be ready for training camp ahead of the 2023-24 season. The No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft averaged 23.3 points, 8.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 35.2 minutes across 36 games last year. While Ball will have to improve upon his 41.1 field-goal percentage, it appears that Charlotte is looking to make him and rookie Brandon Miller the cornerstones of their franchise.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Plans to be ready for camp
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Ball (ankle) said Monday that he expects to be 100 percent healthy for training camp in September, the Associated Press reports.
Ball is in the early stages of his recovery from the season-ending surgery he underwent March 1 to address a fractured right ankle. Though it was his left ankle that he sprained on three separate occasions over his 36 appearances on the season, the fractured right ankle may have been a compensation injury. With that in mind, Ball acknowledged the possibility of wearing braces on his ankles moving forward, but for the time being, he plans to wait and see how his rehab unfolds before making any decisions on that front entering the 2023-24 campaign. The upcoming season marks the final year of Ball's rookie deal, but despite his struggles to stay on the court in 2022-23, the Hornets likely remain interested in coming to agreement with the point guard on a lucrative long-term extension.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Undergoes surgery
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The Hornets announced Ball underwent successful surgery Wednesday to address a fractured right ankle.
Ball has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and will begin a lengthy rehab process for the ankle. The Hornets will play their first game post-Ball on Wednesday against the Suns, with Kelly Oubre getting the first chance to enter the starting lineup. Ball is expected to be back to full strength for the start of training camp in the fall.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Done for season
Rotowire
Ball (ankle) is set to miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Hornets are officially labeling Ball as out indefinitely after he fractured his ankle in Monday's win over the Pistons, but given the nature of the injury, a return at any point during the final six weeks of the season never seemed to be a likely outcome, especially with Charlotte sitting outside of the playoff picture. With Ball out of the mix, fantasy managers in redraft leagues can feel confident in cutting bait. The Hornets haven't clarified their plans for the starting lineup sans Ball, but Terry Rozier could take over as the Hornets' primary point guard, while Dennis Smith and Kelly Oubre are also likely candidates to see added run regardless of which of the two players settles in on the top unit. Ball finishes his third NBA season with averages of 23.3 points, 8.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 three-pointers and 1.3 steals over 35.2 minutes in his 36 appearances.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Diagnosed with fractured ankle
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Ball was diagnosed with fractured right ankle following his early exit from Monday's 117-106 win over the Pistons. He scored 18 points (6-9 FG, 6-7 3Pt, 0-1 FT), six rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes prior to departing.
The Hornets aren't yet offering a timeline for Ball's return, but given the nature of his injury, it appears fairly safe to conclude that he'll miss most of -- if not all -- of what's left of the 2022-23 season. Lower-body issues have derailed Ball's third NBA campaign, as it was a Grade 2 left ankle sprain that cost him the first 13 games of the season and an aggravation of that injury that sidelined him for another 11 games. If Ball's season is in fact over, he'll finish with averages of 23.3 points, 8.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 three-pointers and 1.3 steals in 35.2 minutes per game over 36 appearances. Terry Rozier could end up taking over as the Hornets' primary point guard in Ball's stead, but if they elect to keep him at shooting guard, a spot in the starting five would likely open up for Dennis Smith. Regardless of how head coach Steve Clifford elects to alter his lineup moving forward, Smith and Kelly Oubre would seem to be the main candidates to benefit from Ball's absence.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Won't return Monday
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Ball (right ankle injury) will not return to Monday's game against the Pistons.
It's not surprising that Ball won't be returning to Monday's game with the Hornets currently up by 16 heading into the fourth, but Ball isn't out of the woods yet. He should be considered questionable at best for Wednesday's game against Phoenix, but it wouldn't be shocking to see this injury turn into a multi-game absence with Charlotte sitting on a record of 19-43. Dennis Smith Jr. is worth a speculative add in most leagues.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Heads to locker room
Rotowire
Ball exited Monday's game with a lower right leg injury.
Ball went down attempting a crossover and headed straight back to the locker room. It appeared he said that he "heard a pop," and while this isn't the same appendage that has cost him a large portion of the early-seasons schedule, it was concerning to see him leave with what appeared to be a non-contact injury. We should get another update shortly, but if he needs to miss time, Dennis Smith Jr. would get a sizable boost.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Comes close to triple-double
Rotowire
Ball closed with 19 points (6-22 FG, 5-16 3Pt, 2-5 FT), seven rebounds and 13 assists in 40 minutes during Saturday's 108-103 victory over Miami.
Ball didn't have his best shooting performance and needed 22 shots to score 19 points, but he still came close to posting a triple-double after notching 13 dimes and seven boards. The flashy point guard has been excellent as a distributor of late and has dished out 10 or more dimes in five of his last six appearances. He's averaging 24.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists across 10 February contests.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Leading scorer in win
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Ball contributed 32 points (11-21 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists and two steals over 40 minutes during Friday's 121-113 win over the Timberwolves.
Ball's 32 points led all scorers in the win over Minnesota on Friday night. The young guard also continued his double-double streak coming out of the All-Star break, which has now stretched to five straight. He's had a fantastic month of February so far with notably improved averages in field-goal percentage (44.3), assists (8.8), rebounds (8.4) and steals (1.9).
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Posts another stellar performance
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Ball notched 28 points (10-26 FG, 5-15 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 12 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 39 minutes during Wednesday's 120-110 win over the Spurs.
Ball secured a triple-double and nearly reached the 30-point threshold for a second straight game, though the heavy shooting volume played a significant part. He's now hoisted up 10 or more attempts from deep in three straight and has dished out 10 or more assists in four consecutive appearances.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Huge production in Monday's win
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Ball registered 30 points (12-19 FG, 6-10 3Pt), 15 assists and six rebounds across 41 minutes during Monday's 144-138 win over the Hawks.
Ball was tremendous in the victory, establishing a new season high in the assists column while reaching the 30-point mark for the fifth time in 2022-23. He was able to shoot at least 50 percent from the field for the first time in over a week, which made up for the absence of defensive production and the lack of trips to the free-throw line. Ball's overall production is ramping up to where most thought it might be heading to the preseason, much to the relief of managers who had to endure a frustrating start to the season while he battled a Grade 2 ankle sprain to go with a couple of aggravations of the injury.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Another inefficient night
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Ball amassed 18 points (6-16 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 3-5 FT), nine rebounds, 12 assists and two steals in 35 minutes during Saturday's 119-105 loss to the Nuggets.
It took 16 shot attempts for Ball to get to 18 points Saturday night, but he had a solid game overall, coming up one rebound shy of a triple-double for the second straight contest. The young guard is shooting only 40.2 percent for the year, but the volume continues to be there, with averages of 22.9 points, 8.2 assists, 6.1 boards and 1.4 steals per game.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Modest production in loss
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Ball recorded 16 points (6-16 FG, 4-7 3Pt), six rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 118-104 loss to the Wizards.
Ball had the hot hand from three-point range, knocking down four of seven attempts from deep. However, he went just 2-for-9 from inside the arc and finished with 16 points, his fewest since he scored 15 against Chicago on Jan. 26. Ball also failed to record any defensive stats Wednesday, which is unusual for him after he had notched multiple thefts in each of his previous four contests.
Ball finished Sunday's 119-113 loss to the Magic with a season-high 33 points (13-24 FG, 6-13 3Pt, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and four steals across 38 minutes.
The Hornets' starting backcourt of Ball and Terry Rozier combined for 50.4 percent of the team's scoring, and the lack of help sent the team tumbling to its fourth straight defeat and 40th of the season, tying the Rockets and Pistons for the most losses in the league. Since returning from a three-game absence due to ankle and wrist trouble, Ball has averaged 22.7 points, 8.7 boards, 7.7 assists, 3.3 threes and 2.5 steals over the last six contests.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Nearly triple-doubles
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Ball provided 23 points (7-23 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 5-5 FT), eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals across 40 minutes before fouling out of Friday's 118-112 loss to the Pistons.
Ball continues to light up the stat sheet as per usual, but his shooting woes are still lingering. In his previous 10 games, he was hitting just 38.5 percent from the field. The important thing is that he's healthy after missing three games towards the end of January, and he has favorable matchups coming up against the Magic and Wizards to find his rhythm.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Scores 19 with 18 shots Thursday
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Ball totaled 19 points (8-18 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and two steals over 36 minutes before getting ejected from Thursday's 114-98 loss to the Bulls.
Ball couldn't finish the game after picking up his sixth foul late in the fourth quarter, and while his shooting woes were noticeable, he still salvaged his fantasy performance with solid contributions in other categories. Ball has looked outstanding since returning from a three-game absence in late January, averaging 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game in his last four outings.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Drops triple-double Tuesday
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Ball closed Tuesday's 124-115 loss to the Bucks with 27 points (10-26 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 4-6 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and three steals over 40 minutes.
Ball put up the eighth triple-double of his career in the loss, adding six combined steals and blocks for good measure. Still working his way back from multiple ankle injuries, Ball's counting stats have continued to pick up steam of late. His efficiency remains a work in progress, especially over the past two months, during which time he is shooting under 35 percent from the field. Given his career numbers, this should start to level out assuming he can stay healthy.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Balanced showing in winning effort
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Ball amassed 19 points (7-17 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal across 36 minutes during Sunday's 122-117 victory over the Heat.
Ball finished as one of five Hornets players in double figures in scoring Sunday, posting team-high-tying assist and rebound marks. Ball has tallied at least 15 points, five assists and five rebounds in 13 games this year, including in two straight.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Rough shooting night in return
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Ball (ankle/wrist) finished Thursday's 111-96 win over the Bulls with 15 points (2-15 FG, 2-11 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 11 rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes.
Though Ball's third multi-game absence of the season due to a left ankle sprain proved to be more short-lived than his prior two absences, the star point guard endured a rough night in his return to the lineup. Ball's season-long field-goal percentage dropped to 40 percent after the 2-for-15 outing, but he at least filled out the counting categories. Perhaps more importantly, Ball didn't face any limitations with his minutes, offering hope that his ankle -- as well as his more minor right wrist injury -- won't inhibit him moving forward.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Cleared to play Thursday
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Ball (ankle, wrist) will make his return Thursday against the Bulls.
Ball is back following a three-game absence and should return to the starting lineup. With Gordon Hayward (hamstring) also available, Dennis Smith, Bryce McGowens and Jalen McDaniels could see reduced roles. In January, Ball is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.0 minutes.
