The Charlotte Hornets are shutting down point guard LaMelo Ball for the remainder of the season as he will have procedures for ankle and wrist injuries, the team said on Friday.
Ball, 23, will undergo arthroscopic surgery for a right ankle impingement and what the Hornets called a minor procedure on his right wrist. The team said in a news release that Ball is expected to make a full recovery, return to “full basketball activity within four to six weeks” as part of a complete offseason work regimen.
The Hornets (18-54) have 10 regular-season games remaining and are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings and out of postseason contention.
Ball last played on Tuesday, collecting 25 points and nine assists in a 111-104 home loss to the Orlando Magic. He averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game along with 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 32.0 minutes in 47 games (all starts) this season.
The team said Ball is one of 10 players this season to average at least 25 points and five assists per game, and that he leads the NBA in fourth-quarter points average (7.8).
Ball is the first Hornets player to average 25 points and seven assists in a season, according to ESPN Research.
Charlotte selected Ball with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2020-21 season and an All-Star the next season.
For his career, Ball averages 21.0 points, 7.4 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 31.9 minutes in 231 games (211 starts). He has dealt with ankle injuries in his career, including ending last season on March 28, 2024, to rehabilitate his right ankle following a sprain in November 2023 and recurring problems. His career high is 75 games in the 2021-22 season.
–Field Level Media
