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.
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 procedures will allow Ball to heal and have a full, productive offseason.
Ball, 23, has dealt with ankle injuries over recent years, missing at least 25 games in each of the past three seasons after playing a career-high 75 games in 2021-22.
He underwent surgery on his right ankle in 2023, and this is the second straight year the Hornets have shut down Ball on March 28. He was held out for the rest of the 2023-24 season to rehab his right ankle after recurring issues following a November 2023 sprain.
The decision for the 2024-25 season ends Ball's career year in scoring at 25.2 points per game. He also averaged 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds over 32 minutes in 47 games this season.
Ball is the first Hornets player to average 25 points and seven assists in a season, and he had a franchise-record six games with 25 points and 10 assists, according to ESPN Research. Ball had the second-highest usage rate in the NBA.
The Hornets (18-54) have the third-worst record in the NBA but have accumulated significant draft capital, acquiring six picks since October. Charlotte owns all of its first-round picks in future years and has a total of 11 first-round and 13 second-round picks moving forward.
Charlotte saw success with lineups featuring Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams, but their possessions were limited due to injuries.
Miller missed time with injuries, including a sprained ankle, before undergoing season-ending right wrist surgery in January. Bridges was out nearly a month with a bone bruise in his right knee, and Williams began the season injured before a potential trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was nixed over a failed physical.
