This season was supposed to be a gauge of how well the Charlotte Hornets' core pieces can play together. Instead, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller continue to be a fixture on the sidelines. And the latest update about the two might spell bad news for the team.
The Hornets have recently announced that Miller will miss their bout with the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ball is probable with left wrist soreness as the listed reason.
As Matt Alquiza of Sports Illustrated noted about the duo's statuses, Miller was taken off the injury report for Charlotte's win over the Toronto Raptors, only for the team to rule him out right before it faced the Brooklyn Nets the following day. Now, it is quite concerning that he will be sitting out another contest. Perhaps he aggravated his shoulder injury in the Raptors tiff, although the organization has kept mum about it.
Alquiza also mentioned Ball's condition, saying that his left wrist is currently ailing. Many might remember that it is his right wrist that underwent surgery to address a fracture four years ago. So, his current ailment could be a new injury.
Time to rethink the season?
Only time will tell when Ball and Miller can take to the floor at the same time again. Hopefully, it won't be that long, but the possibility of either player missing an extended period again looms over the Hornets' heads. The pair has played together just 45 times, making it hard for the organization to assess whether building a roster around them is sustainable.
It also doesn't help that a couple of key pieces have yet to make their season debut. Josh Green is reportedly expected to practice with the Greensboro Swarm, and Grant Williams recently appeared in a shootaround without a knee brace. Still, there has been no definitive timetable on when they will fully recover.
Perhaps it's time for Charlotte to shift its strategy for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign. With the injury bug continuing to sting the squad and its youngsters going through some growing pains, competing for even a spot in the play-in tournament could be off the table. Trying to boost its odds in the 2026 draft lottery is starting to sound like a bright idea, especially since the coming draft class has some game-changing talent that could fit well with the Hornets. Funnily enough, that may have been the front office's plan all along.
The problem with that approach, though, is that the losses could weigh heavily on a franchise that wants a taste of the playoff atmosphere again. So, as the season has progressed from bad to worse, we shouldn't be shocked if major roster changes take place at the trade deadline.