At 18-54 this season, the wins have not come easily for the Hornets in 2023-24. Charlotte looks to be tanking this season after trading away two of their best players. Terry Rozier is now with the Heat and P.J. Washington went to the Mavericks. Their best player left is all-star PG LaMelo Ball who’s played in only 22 games this season.
Ankle injuries have limited Ball’s playing time for the Hornets and they’ve struggled without him. He’s missed their last 29 games in a row with an ankle injury. Per NBA insider Shams Charania, Ball will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season for Charlotte. Another injury-riddled season for the Hornets’ PG.
LaMelo Ball will not return this season from an ankle injury
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
Over the last two seasons, LaMelo Ball has played in 58 games for the Charlotte Hornets. Ball has played over 50 games twice in his four-year career and over 60 games just once. The 22-year-old played 75 games in 2021-22 when he earned his first all-star selection. This season. LaMelo Ball has played in only 22 of Charlotte’s games. Ankle injuries have severely limited his playing time.
He played in their first 16 games of the season before suffering an ankle injury vs. the Magic. Ball only played 14 minutes in that game. The one-time all-star went on to miss the next 20 games for the Hornets. Eventually, he made his return on 1/12 and played in seven of their next eight games. However, Ball has been out since 1/27 and has missed 29 straight games for the team. Tough injury luck for the young PG who was playing at a high level when healthy.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball — who’s missed 29 consecutive games with an ankle injury — will remain out for the final two-plus weeks of the season, team says.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2024
For the last two seasons, LaMelo Ball has had to deal with recurring ankle injuries. He’s had his season cut short two years in a row because of them. Not ideal for the Hornets who gave Ball a five-year, $204 million max extension. The team might be regretting that extension after the injury history LaMelo Ball has had in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
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