Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is tuning out the noise when it comes to speculation about him potentially being a trade candidate this offseason.

Speaking to reporters during his end-of-season press conference (starts at 3:57 mark), Ball explained all that concerns him are normal everyday issues that everyone deals with, but "telling me to go somewhere" doesn't bother him.

The Hornets sound like they are planning for the 23-year-old to be an integral part of their team for the 2025-26 season. Team president Jeff Peterson told reporters on Monday he believes Ball can do things few players in the NBA are capable of.

"LaMelo, he can be as good as he wants to be, and we've seen that," Peterson said. "He's played at an All-Star-caliber level. I told him this the other day that I've been fortunate, and Charles [Lee] has too, to be around some great players in this league, and LaMelo is very unique and does some things that no one else can do, quite frankly."

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported in March that Charlotte has "no interest" in trading Ball. The Hornets would likely be selling at a low point even if they wanted to move him.

Ball is owed $168 million over the next four seasons on his contract. He did average a career-high 25.2 points per game in 2024-25, but he had his worst shooting season with a 40.5 field-goal percentage (33.9 percent from three on 11.2 attempts per contest).

One thing Peterson did add is he wants to see Ball get stronger to handle the physicality he encounters in the NBA. The Hornets also have to figure out a way to protect his ankles.

Ball has only played 105 out of a possible 246 games over the past three seasons due primarily to ankle injuries. His 2024-25 campaign ended on March 28 when the team announced he was undergoing arthroscopic surgery for a right ankle impingement and a minor procedure on his wrist.

The Hornets have been trending in the wrong direction since going 43-39 in 2021-22. Their win total has decreased in each of the past three seasons, bottoming out with a 19-63 record in 2024-25.

There are some paths for the Hornets to be an interesting team this offseason. Jusuf Nurkić is playing on a $19.4 million expiring salary next season that could be appealing in a trade to some teams.

The Hornets are also tied with the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards for the best lottery odds to land the top pick in the 2025 draft. If they win the No. 1 pick and pair Cooper Flagg with Ball, that would give them a terrific foundation to be an emerging contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Charlotte Hornets are attempting to dispute the Los Angeles Lakers' failed physical assessment of Mark Williams that resulted in a rescinded trade on Saturday.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hornets have "been in contact with the NBA" and will "weigh avenues to challenge" Los Angeles failing Williams' physical and reversing the trade.

The Lakers initially sent rookie guard Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Hornets in return for Williams ahead of last Thursday's trade deadline.

On Saturday, Charania reported that the deal had been nixed after Williams' physical "showed multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam." Charania noted that the failed physical was not because of Williams' back, which has been an issue for him the last two seasons.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne noted that the Lakers "needed to feel confident he'd be healthy enough to be their starting center for the next 5-10 years" and did not trust he could do that after the physical.

Williams, 23, has been productive when healthy this year. He's averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game and could have been of use to Los Angeles, which is thin in its front court.

The issue for Williams, however, has been staying on the court. He has played just 129 of the Hornets' 214 games since he was drafted in 2022 due to a plethora of injuries. This year, he's missed 27 games due to back and foot injuries.

If the Hornets are successful in their dispute of Williams' physical, it seems he could be suiting up for the Lakers. Whether in Los Angeles or Charlotte, Williams will look to have a healthy second half of the season.

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was ruled out of the team's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday due to right ankle soreness.

Ball played 10 minutes in the first quarter of the contest but went into Charlotte's locker room after checking out of the game.

The 23-year-old has been plagued by ankle issues this season, appearing in just one of the Hornets' past seven games due to a sprained ankle that he suffered against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 27.

Ball finished with five points and three assists against Brooklyn, shooting 2-5 from the field.

Entering Monday's action, the former All-Star suited up in just 32 of the Hornets' first 50 games of the season. He missed time earlier in the year due to a calf injury.

Ball has proven himself as one of the NBA's top offensive guards when healthy, showcasing his flashy passing to go along with an improved pull-up three-point jumper.

To open his 2024-25 campaign, he's averaged 28.0 points and 7.4 assists to go along with 1.3 steals per game. While he's shooting just 41.6 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from behind the arc, he's attempting 12.2 long-range shots on a nightly basis.

Charlotte has struggled mightily when Ball isn't available, owning a mere 1-17 record in the 18 games that he hasn't played in this season.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft appeared in 75 games during the 2021-22 season, but he went on to play in just 58 games over the next two years combined.

Ball's 2022-23 season came to an end due to a right ankle fracture and he dealt with ankle issues throughout the ensuing year before he was eventually shut down for the season.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported on Oct. 25 that the guard started wearing ankle braces in an attempt to prevent health problems moving forward.

After leaving against Brooklyn, Ball's next opportunity to play will come against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will miss at least a week due to a left ankle sprain, per Shams Charania of ESPN.

Ball suffered the injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday and was quickly ruled out, the team announced.

Prior to his departure he had seven points, one assist and one rebound.

Ball had drilled a three-pointer off one foot before taking a few steps back and stepping on the heel of Lakers power forward Jared Vanderbilt, rolling his ankle and falling to the ground.

The former third pick in the NBA draft was able to stand before intentionally fouling to stop the clock, then walking immediately toward the locker room.

Ball has had a history of ankle injuries, being limited to just 58 games in his last two seasons due to ankle issues, according to NBA.com's Steve Reed. His transition into wearing ankle braces for extra support began last April.

"I'm going to see over the summer, try some stuff," Ball said of the ankle braces, per Reed. "My favorite thing to do is play basketball and to not be able to do it is just horrible... That fact that I got this summer (to be healthy), I'm going to take it and get it as strong I can to get out there and play."

The 23-year-old is having a stellar season with the 12-32 Hornets, averaging 28.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

The Hornets sit second to last in the NBA Eastern Conference, only ahead of the 6-38 Washington Wizards. Losing Ball for an extended stretch will only make it more difficult for the squad to compete.

The injury-plagued Charlotte Hornets were dealt another tough blow when it was revealed Brandon Miller's wrist injury will likely keep him out for an extended period of time.

Prior to Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls, the Hornets announced Miller will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.

Miller suffered the injury in Charlotte's 117-112 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. He was able to play 33 minutes in that game, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting. It's unclear exactly when the injury occurred.

The Hornets have had all sorts of problems keeping their primary starting group on the court together this season. Miller, LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges have combined to miss 36 games thus far.

Miller recently had a stretch in which he missed six of seven games from Dec. 19-Jan. 3 due to an ankle injury.

Charlotte was able to band together for a victory over the Bulls on Friday. The Hornets have won three of their last four games after a season-long 10-game losing streak.

"That definitely hurts," Ball said of Miller's injury after Friday's win. "I was in the same kind of situation, my rookie year, or sophomore, whatever. I know how he feel, we just always have his back, watch out for him. He with the whole squad. That'll help a little. I remember my situation, being with, around the guys, that's yeah. I know it's tough times though."

Miller ranks second on the Hornets with 21.0 points and 3.6 assists per game. The 22-year-old finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting last season, behind Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

Nick Smith Jr. took Miller's spot in the starting five against the Bulls. Head coach Charles Lee will likely mix and match his lineup going forward depending on the opponent.

The Hornets have struggled this season even when Miller has been healthy. Their 10-28 record is the fifth-worst in the NBA. They can set a season-high with three straight wins if they are able to beat the Dallas Mavericks at Spectrum Center on Monday.

LiAngelo Ball's music career is off to a hot start thanks to his viral single "Tweaker."

The song debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ball is the brother of the Chicago Bulls' Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets' LaMelo Ball. He played 31 games for the Hornets' G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

He recently signed a deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group worth up to $13 million with $8 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

The song charted after recording 12.4 million official streams in the United States during tracking recorded from Jan. 3 to Jan. 9, according to Luminate and Billboard's Xander Zellner.

"Tweaker" will debut at No. 7 among Hot Rap Songs and No. 9 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, according to Zellner.

Ball now joins Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard as NBA players with songs charted by Billboard, as noted by Zellner.

O'Neal made it with multiple hits in the 1990s, while Lillard cracked the Top 200 chart with "The Letter O" in 2016.

Lillard praised "Tweaker" when asked about the song after the Bucks' win over the San Antonio Spurs last Wednesday,

"I rock with it, man. I've been hearing it a lot, it gives me that 2003-2004 vibe," Lillard said in his appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter. "But I rock with it, like I said, it's a slapper."

Lillard continued: "As an artist, you gotta respect other people's artistry, and when something is going, it's going. So, like I said, I rock with it, I respect it, and I'm always happy for other people's success. That's when you have your success, when you're happy with people. So I'm happy for him, it's a big record, you're hearing it everywhere."

The Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Lions and South Carolina women's basketball team are among the sports teams sharing videos of players and coaches listening to Ball's hit song.

Rolling Loud in Los Angeles meanwhile announced last week that Ball will be performing at the festival in March.

The injury woes continue for Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who is dealing with a strained left calf.

Per an announcement from the team, Ball was diagnosed with the injury on Saturday and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

It's unclear exactly how Ball suffered the injury. He played 37 minutes in the Hornets' 98-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

The Hornets added him to their injury report before Friday's matchup with the New York Knicks. He was officially listed as questionable with a calf injury but wound up being held out of the game.

A two-week reevaluation timeline means that Ball will miss at least the next five games. The Hornets will likely be extremely cautious with the 23-year-old given his history of lower-leg injuries.

Ball missed 76 games in the previous two seasons combined due to ankle injuries. He had surgery in March to repair a fracture in his right ankle.

Hornets head coach Charles Lee said entering the season that Ball was going to start wearing ankle braces in an attempt to prevent them from being a problem again. It's unclear if his past ankle issues had any impact on his calf injury.

The injury halts the momentum for Ball, who was off to a terrific start this season. He ranks second in the NBA in scoring average (31.1 points per game) and 12th in assists (6.9).

Ball's absence will require other players on the Hornets' roster to step up because they have struggled to generate offense even with his production. They rank 26th in offensive rating and 27th in points per game.

Backup point guard Tre Mann will miss his fifth consecutive game on Friday due to a back injury. Vasilije Micić will likely remain the starting point guard for the time being.

The Hornets have lost four straight and six of their last seven games. Their 6-13 record overall ranks 12th in the Eastern Conference, ahead of only the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards.

The Charlotte Hornets will be shorthanded for Friday's NBA Cup game against the New York Knicks.

Charlotte announced LaMelo Ball will be sidelined because of left calf soreness, making him one of a number of players who will not take the court:

It remains to be seen exactly how long Ball will be out, as the Hornets also announced he suffered the injury late during Wednesday's loss to the Miami Heat and will be evaluated with further updates to come in the near future.

It's surely not what Charlotte wants to hear, as the team is just 4-10 in the last 14 games and has looked like one of the worst in the league in the early going of the 2024-25 campaign.

Ball has been a bright spot, though, and is averaging 31.1 points, 6.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from deep. His career high for scoring in a season is 23.9 points per game, so he has been far more effective as a scorer this season.

Even if this ends up being a lost season for the Hornets as a whole, it is important that the 23-year-old Ball continues developing as a franchise cornerstone. He is their best bet to become competitive in the Eastern Conference in the near future, and the early returns this season have been nothing but positive.

However, Charlotte will need to find a way to replicate his production against the Knicks.

Look for Vasilije Micic and Nick Smith Jr. to see more playing time while Ball is sidelined.

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams has reportedly suffered a torn ACL that would cost him the remainder of the 2024-25 season, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Williams posted the following message to social media:

He was in his second season with the Hornets after being acquired in February—alongside Seth Curry and a top-two protected 2027 first-round pick—in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks that sent P.J. Washington and a pair of second-rounders to the Mavs.

Williams suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's 125-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

In 45 total games with Charlotte, Williams is averaging 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists, shooting 37 percent from three. He had been a crucial frontcourt player for the Hornets, especially with centers Nick Richards and Mark Williams and power forward Miles Bridges all currently sidelined with injuries of their own.

The Hornets, despite those injuries, have managed to tread water to start the season, opening with a 6-10 mark, in large part due to the jump of star point guard LaMelo Ball (30.2 PPG, 6.9 APG) and the solid play of Brandon Miller (19.8 PPG, 1.6 SPG).

The Hornets are still in the process of rebuilding around those two players, and Williams had proven to be a valuable role player. His loss will undoubtedly be felt.

That will place a bigger burden on players like 2024 lottery pick Tidjane Salaün—who has struggled in his rookie season (3.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG) on the offensive end, but has been solid defensively—alongside Moussa Diabate and Taj Gibson, especially while the team remains so thin in the frontcourt.

With Charlotte swapping lineup configurations given their dizzying array of injuries, Williams had been inserted into the starting lineup earlier in November in favor of Salaün, who had been given a two-game run with the starters.