The Charlotte Hornets have a bright future because they have promising youngsters playing key positions.
At the point and wing are LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Ball has already showcased his All-Star prowess, getting voted as a reserve in the exhibition game in 2022. Meanwhile, Miller has also displayed the potential to become part of the festivities one day.
Another crucial position is already filled, as Mark Williams is set to man the center spot in the following years. The Hornets' 15th overall pick in 2022 has played well enough so far that he should be one of the few untouchables if the team decides to explore the trade market.
Mark Williams' injury history in the NBA
Unfortunately, the Duke University product has missed more games than he has appeared in his two years in the league. In his rookie campaign, he suited up in 43 contests (although another reason for that is his G League assignment) before avoiding the sidelines just 19 times in the 2023-24 season.
When healthy, though, Williams has proven to be a monster in the rebounding department, a great defender, and an efficient scorer. He nearly averaged a double-double (12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game) last season while shooting 64.9% from the field.
Charlotte will definitely be a scarier opponent if the young big man can get a clean bill of health, which the organization seems optimistic about. If all goes well, Williams has hopefully rebounded from the litany of injuries he has sustained in his first two campaigns.
Left ankle sprain, November 2022
Playing behind a trio of centers (Mason Plumlee, Kai Jones, and Nick Richards) in the 2022-23 season, Williams had to spend time with Greensboro Swarm. However, he suffered a left ankle sprain during an appearance with the G League squad early in his rookie year.
Left ankle sprain, December 2022
Williams needed just several days to recover from his first sprained ankle, but he sustained an injury of a similar nature shortly afterward. He was day-to-day again, although it took two weeks for him to return to the court.
Right thumb dislocation, March 2023
The Virginia native had joined Charlotte's regular rotation when he ran into a minor setback. A James Wiseman foul dislocated his thumb, which sidelined him for six matches and may have contributed to his needing surgery in the following offseason.
Left ankle sprain, April 2023
Williams hurt his left ankle for what appeared to be a third time with just three contests left in the 2022-23 season. The good news is that he missed just one game and ended his rookie campaign on a positive note by posting double-doubles (third consecutive overall) in the last two matches.
Thumb surgery, June 2023
The Hornets gave fans a surprising update about their promising pivot last year when they announced that he successfully underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He was eventually cleared to play in October.
Lower back contusion, December 2023
Williams first experienced some back issues early last season after he appeared to have hurt it during a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets late in November. He tried putting some ice on it and playing through the injury.
After sitting out a game versus the Chicago Bulls in early December, he gave it a shot against the Toronto Raptors but had to leave the contest in the third quarter.
Since then, fans have not seen the Hornets big man on the court. Hopefully, that will change when the team opens its 2024-25 regular season against the Houston Rockets next month.