After playing through a series of injuries in 2024-25, the Charlotte Hornets have officially shut down All-Star guard LaMelo Ball for the rest of the season.
Taking to social media to announce the news, ESPN's Shams Charania revealed the news, noting that Ball would undergo two procedures to address issues with his ankle and wrist.
“Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the season as he undergoes two minor procedures to address right ankle and wrist issues, sources told ESPN on Friday,” Charania wrote for ESPN.
“Ball had played through pain in recent weeks before he and the team consulted doctors on the best course of action, sources said. Team doctors and outside specialists concluded that the two procedures will allow Ball to heal and have a full, productive offseason.”
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Originally drafted in the third round following one of the most publicized pre-NBA paths in recent memory, Ball has been an electrifying player in Charlotte, winning Rookie of the Year back in 2021 before becoming an All-Star the following season. Since that fateful run, however, things haven't gone smoothly for the pride of Chino Hills, appearing in just 36 games in 2022-23, 22 games in 2023-24, and 47 games in 2024-25.
While Ball has been incredibly successful when on the court, averaging a career-high 25.2 points per game this season to go with 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals, Ball's availability has been a real question mark for a Hornets organization that just can't seem to find much consistency.
With Ball now set to miss the remainder of the season, the Hornets will look to add another high-profile player to their roster alongside their All-Pro guard moving forward, much like the addition of Tidjane Salaün last summer and Brandon Miller in 2023. And as for Ball? Well, he will return next season in year two of the five-year, $260 million max contract he signed back in 2023.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Matty Breisch is a Senior Editor who specializes in NFL and WWE for ClutchPoints. He also has bylines at Heavy, Fansided, The Needle Drop, and Philadelphia Sports Network.