The Charlotte Hornets' face-off against the Washington Wizards the day after Christmas was a milestone for LaMelo Ball. It was his 22nd contest this season, matching the number of times he took to the court in the 2023-24 campaign. That also meant he won't be posting a new career-low in games played.
However, in the bigger scheme of things, the Hornets star surpassing his total appearances from last season isn't really a cause for celebration. It's tough to drink a toast to the achievement when he has actually missed a third of the team's games so far this season.
Moreover, Ball's return from injury, particularly the left calf strain that caused him to sit out seven straight meetings after playing the Hornets' first 18 bouts of the regular season, hasn't translated to wins for the squad.
What's going on with LaMelo Ball?
There was plenty of excitement across the Hive entering the 2024-25 season for many reasons. One of them was Ball's comeback trail. And he didn't disappoint — in the first weeks, that is. He showed that earning a second All-Star berth should be a no-brainer, especially after a stretch of four contests that saw him average 40.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per match.
However, the injury bug once again stung the 2021 Rookie of the Year, putting him out of commission for over two weeks. The thing is, he has continued to miss a significant number of games since then, having taken to the court just five times in the previous nine contests.
What's probably more concerning, as James Plowright of CLTure.org recently pointed out, is that "ankle soreness" has been attached to Ball's name in injury reports in the previous months. Plowright emphasized that it has been 20 months since the offensive dynamo had surgery to repair his ankle. A recent injury report also listed a sore wrist, which he fractured three years ago, as a reason for his questionable status.
It's common for organizations to enter players' previous injuries as causes for sitting them out as part of their recovery or load management. Hopefully, that's only the case with Ball. Otherwise, the Hornets aren't being transparent with the extent of any of their star's ailments.
Unfortunately for Charlotte, losses have continued to pile up even during the nights that Ball is able to suit up. That has had some people questioning whether the 23-year-old point guard is the right cornerstone to usher in an era of winning basketball in the Queen City. Those who have called him a good stats/bad team guy are making some noise again.
Of course, it's too early to gauge whether Ball deserves the criticism being thrown his way. He has certainly shown the potential to be a cornerstone for a contending franchise. But unless he can avoid the sidelines consistently and impact winning soon, the Hornets have a bit of a problem on their hands.