Charlotte Hornets

The NBA fined Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball $100,000 for making an "offensive and derogatory comment" following Saturday's 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The comment from Ball—who hit a pair of game-winning free throws with seven seconds remaining—occurred during a televised postgame interview on the court.

Ball's game-deciding free throws weren't without controversy, as officials admitted after the contest that Giannis Antetokounmpo shouldn't have been called for a foul while Ball was driving to the basket.

"During live play we called illegal leg to leg to contact," referee crew chief Curtis Blair told reporters. "During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play."

LaMelo Ball tripped over his own feet there, but the Bucks don't have a challenge left. That's a brutally blown call by the officials.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 16, 2024

The Bucks—who fell to 4-9 on the season and are now 21-28 since Doc Rivers took over as the head coach midway through the 2023-24 season—did not have any challenges, so the call stood.

"There was clearly not a foul," an irate Rivers told reporters after the game. "When you watch the video, the ref was blocked out by one of our players. You can't guess at the end of the game."

Ball, meanwhile, had a strong game, scoring 26 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists.

LaMelo Ball comes up HUGE in the @hornets win!

🔥 26 PTS (15 in 4Q)
🔥 9 REB
🔥 6 AST
🔥 Game-winning FTs

LaMelo leads the league in 4th quarter scoring, averaging 11.5 PPG in the 4th this season 👏 pic.twitter.com/a9dtMVD5ND

— NBA (@NBA) November 16, 2024

He's now averaging 29.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds this season, shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Hornets are 5-7.

Charlotte Hornets coaches will continue to challenge point guard LaMelo Ball as they look to improve his defensive skills, per head coach Charles Lee.

"We have to continue to challenge him and we have to learn about 'can he guard one-on-one, or do we need to send a double team every time, or are you going to foul?'" Lee said, per ESPN News Services.

"So as a staff we have to figure out what we are comfortable living with. But also, through conversations with him, can he just sit down and guard his yard and commit to just showing his hands and defend without fouling?"

Ball has been tremendous offensively, averaging 30.2 points on 47.4 percent shooting (40.5 percent from three) and 6.3 assists per game. But he's also struggling on defense, with his 120 defensive rating and -1.0 defensive box plus/minus both marking career-lows, per Basketball-Reference.

Ball is also posting a career-high 7.1 personal fouls per 100 possessions. His 30 personal fouls rank first in the NBA (5.0 per game). Ball's fouled out in three of his team's six games, and Lee said the team's goal is to knock down "non-competitive fouls."

"I can live with a Payton Prichard end-of-shot clock fadeaway jumper or the Jayson Tatum fadeaway step-back jumper," Lee said after his Hornets fell to the Boston Celtics for the second time in two nights. "It's the ones where it's just blow-bys. To me they're just non-competitive fouls where you are just giving up on the play by just fouling the guy."

So Ball has some things to work on, but his offensive game is fantastic to watch even at just 23 years old and only four-plus years (190 games) into his professional career. It appears he's broken out even more on that end now. If he improves his defensive effort, then Ball could emerge as one of the league's top superstars.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is emulating a legendary peer as he looks to put together a healthy 2024-25 season.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported that the 23-year-old is wearing ankle braces, like Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, in hopes of avoiding injuries that have derailed his prior two seasons.

"It's a huge year for Ball, who has played just 59 games since his breakthrough All-Star season in 2021-22," Bontemps wrote. "To help combat that, Ball has taken the Stephen Curry approach to his balky ankles, sources said, wearing strong braces to try to avoid having the same injury issues that have cut short each of his past two seasons."

Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds in 75 games during that 2021-22 season. He played 36 games in 2022-23 and just 22 games in 2023-24, so getting back to playing nearly a full season would be a huge boost for Ball and the Hornets this season.

He got off to a hot start in Wednesday's season opener against the Houston Rockets. He scored 34 points with 11 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes in Charlotte's 110-105 win.

Having more performances like this could play a major role in helping Charlotte reach the postseason for the first time since 2015-16. With Curry having played at least 60 games in 11 of his 16 NBA seasons, it looks like Ball is taking a great approach to his physical health.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller has hit the injury report.

The 21-year-old left Wednesday's season opener against the Houston Rockets with a left glute strain. The Hornets announced that Miller will be out for the team's Friday matchup against the Atlanta Hawks and that he would be "reevaluated in a week."

INJURY UPDATE: @hornets guard Brandon Miller left Wednesday’s game at HOU with a L Glute Strain. He is listed as OUT tonight in ATL and will be reevaluated in a week https://t.co/KS1MqzmH81

— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 25, 2024

Miller scored six points with one assist and one rebound in 11 minutes before exiting the Hornets' 110-105 victory.

Miller is in his second NBA season after being selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 74 games during his rookie season.

In addition to the matchup against the Hawks, Miller will miss Saturday's matchup against the Miami Heat and Wednesday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors. He could potentially make his return in next Friday's game against the Boston Celtics.

In Miller's absence, Charlotte will look to Tre Mann, Cody Martin and Seth Curry to pick up some minutes.

Charlotte Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball is an avid Fortnite player, and he was able to add his touch to the popular video game.

On Wednesday, PUMA unveiled the Tilted Zone Wars PUMA x LaMelo Ball game experience in Fortnite, coinciding with the release of Melo's latest signature shoe, the MB.04. A first look at the experience was posted on social media:

https://twitter.com/PUMAHoops/status/1838943181737484374

Gamers can access the experience immediately. In a release, it was noted that the new feature "focuses on Melo's favorite Fortnite game, Tilted Towers: Zone Wars." The experience was built in partnership with Command Line, the creator of bespoke gaming experiences focused on uniting brands, athletes, and entertainers with the gaming community.

"Pulling inspiration from Melo's 'Not From Here' tagline, the game mode will feature the story of the 'Not From Here' alien invasion with the latest Fortnite mechanics, weapons and gear," the release stated. "All aspects of the game mode will feature a PUMA x Melo twist."

Gamers will enjoy new aspects to toy with, such as custom shoes, special calling cards, newly designed elimination effects and custom win screens. There will also be a custom pre-game lobby featuring PUMA and Melo branding where players can join the game mode and return in between rounds to purchase upgrades, equip shoes and more. The lobby will also provide players with information about PUMA, Melo, and upcoming MB.04 releases.

Ball, who is working his way back from a fractured ankle that limited him to 22 games last season, is one of the faces of the NBA's next generation. Young fans will certainly enjoy seeing him featured in their favorite video game through this new experience.

Grant Williams has a new hobby that is already proving to be lucrative.

The Charlotte Hornets forward began collecting basketball cards on Friday and immediately found success. At Fanatics Fest in New York, Williams revealed that he landed a rare Luka Dončić card that is worth "at least $100,000."

Hornets forward @Grant2Will, on his first day collecting basketball cards, bought a box of National Treasures for $10,500.

He pulled a Luka Dončić worth at least $100,000. pic.twitter.com/ZOJANbK9sg

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 16, 2024

Williams said he bought a National Treasures box for $10,500 and it ended up containing a rare Dončić rookie card that features a patch from his jersey and his autograph. The card is also graded nine out of 10 in terms of its condition.

Williams said he's already received offers of $250,000, $300,000 and even $500,000 for the card, but he wants to see if his former teammate has a better offer before he sells it.

"I said I've got to give Luka first right to refusal, just because he would buy this for like a million I bet," Williams said. "...I FaceTimed him twice, he didn't pick up. He's in Slovenia right now. So he'll call me back and I'll talk to him about it because this is absurd."

Along with the valuable Dončić card, Williams said he pulled rare Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards cards. That's not a bad haul considering it's his first day collecting.

Williams said he has collected Pokemon cards in the past but decided to give basketball cards a try this week. After the luck he had on Friday, it seems it will continue to be a hobby for him.

The Charlotte Hornets are entering a new era during the 2024-25 season under head coach Charles Lee.

Lee joins the team after winning a championship as an assistant with the Boston Celtics, and he'll hope to begin right the ship in Charlotte after an eighth consecutive season missing the playoffs.

The Hornets made very few notable offseason moves but did re-sign a handful of free agents like Miles Bridges and Seth Curry. They didn't add any needle-movers, but a healthy roster is certainly one that can at least make a playoff push.

Much of Charlotte's success will depend on the health of star point guard LaMelo Ball, who played just 22 games last season while dealing with ankle troubles. Over the past two seasons, the fourth-year player has been limited to just 58 games, though he has been extremely productive when he can play.

While a championship is still out of reach for the Hornets this year, they could at least snap their ugly playoff drought and start building for the future.

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2024-25 Hornets Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +100000 (Bet $100 to win $100,000), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

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Top Matchups

Atlanta Hawks

The Hornets' schedule doesn't offer too many exciting matchups considering they will likely be near the bottom of the conference, but a battle between two divisional rivals could be interesting.

Both the Hornets and the Hawks could very well be fighting for one of the final playoff spots, which could make the matchup more intriguing. Whoever wins the season series between the two could ultimately be the one who clinches the last play-in tournament spot.

Beyond the games potentially being high stakes, it will also be the first chance to see two promising young players face off. Charlotte's Tidjane Salaün and Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher, a pair of rookies hailing from France, will be looking to get an early win over the other.

Risacher, the No. 1 pick, and Salaün, the No. 6 pick, could end up being a fun matchup for years to come.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards make the list of key matchups for the same reasons as the Hawks.

Washington is another playoff hopeful that will be looking to pick up wins wherever it can. That being said, they will be bringing their A-game to a winable matchup against the Hornets. The Wizards are also a member of a relatively weak Southeast Division, so this game will serve as another fun divisional matchup.

It will also be another chance for Salaün to get an early win over another French rookie, Alex Sarr. As is the case for Risacher, Salaün will be looking to prove that he should've been selected earlier in the draft. Getting a win over Sarr could help him make his case.

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Season Outlook

The 2024-25 season certainly isn't championship or bust for the Hornets. As long as they can make improvements and move towards being a playoff contender, the year should be considered a success.

The keys for this season will include keeping Ball healthy and continuing to develop second-year player Brandon Miller, Salaün and the rest of the young core.

The future seems bright in Charlotte. Lee has proven himself as an assistant and seems poised to have success as a head coach, but that success likely won't come immediately. The Hornets must continue to trust the process and build for the future, and if they do so it could mean success down the road.

Don't expect to see Charlotte at the top of the Eastern Conference, but some improvement from last year's 21-60 record should be in order.

Record Prediction: 30-52

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller has high expectations for the team entering the 2024-25 season.

"I think we're going to be a playoff team," Miller told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

The Hornets are coming off a 21-61 season, as star point guard LaMelo Ball appeared in just 22 games due to ankle issues. One of the few bright spots for Charlotte was Miller, who wrapped up a promising rookie campaign after he was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

The 21-year-old averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from behind the arc. He won three Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards and finished No. 3 in Rookie of the Year voting.

The Hornets will be entering next season with former Boston Celtics assistant Charles Lee patrolling the sidelines after Steve Clifford stepped down as head coach following the team's disappointing 2023-24 season.

Charlotte hasn't made any blockbuster moves during the offseason, although the team re-signed forward Miles Bridges and acquired guard Josh Green as part of a six-team trade on July 6.

Although the Hornets aren't a lock to make the playoffs by any means, the duo of Ball and Miller could help them earn a postseason berth through the play-in tournament. Charlotte has made the tournament twice, although the team wasn't able to secure one of the two available playoff spots either time.

If Ball can stay healthy and Miller builds upon his rookie season, the Hornets could attempt to challenge for a postseason spot once again.

The Charlotte Hornets waived Davis Bertans on Saturday, but the Latvian men's national basketball team forward didn't appear to mind when asked about the move, which happened as Latvia beat Cameroon 72-59 in an Olympic qualifying game.

“I really don’t care” 😳

-Davis Bertans reacts to the Hornets waiving him while he was mid-game with the Latvia National Team

(via @BasketNews_com)
pic.twitter.com/mSUPxsjNUt

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 6, 2024

"All I can say is that I don't really care right now," Bertans told Mindaugas Bertys of BasketNews. "My main focus is right there with this jersey on. You know, in a way, I'm really happy that this right now is the only jersey that I wear."

Frankly, Bertans has more pressing matters to address. The Latvia men's basketball team has a golden opportunity to qualify for its first Olympic Games since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The win over Cameroon set up a winner-take-all matchup with Brazil in Sunday in Riga, Latvia. The victor heads to the Olympics in Paris, joining a group featuring host country France, Germany and Japan. The loser goes home.

Obviously, Bertans' NBA future is in flux right now after being waived, but it's clear he's solely focused on getting Latvia to Paris. Bertans fared well in helping Latvia on that front Saturday, hitting four three-pointers for his 12 points in the 13-point victory.

Miles Bridges agreed to a contract Saturday in free agency to remain with the Charlotte Hornets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Charlotte and the Michigan State product came to terms on a three-year, $75 million deal.

Matt Moore of Action Network reported in January that Bridges was "a popular trade target" ahead of potential free agency, but he isn't leaving the only NBA team he has ever played for in his career.

The forward signed a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2023-24 campaign in July 2023, and Wojnarowski reported at the time that he and the Hornets were "far apart in extension talks."

Any move involving Bridges resonates beyond his on-court impact.

He sat out the entire 2022-23 campaign following his June 2022 arrest. In November 2022, ESPN's Baxter Holmes reported that Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge after he was "accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend in front of their two children" and initially faced three felony charges.

The agreement meant the other two felony counts were dismissed and he was sentenced to three years of probation without jail time for the third.

He was also required to serve 100 hours of community service, complete 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, complete 52 weeks of parenting classes, pay a $500 domestic violence fine and pay a $300 restitution fine. What's more, he was issued a 10-year protective order and told not to contact the woman or come within 100 yards of her.

The NBA suspended Bridges for 30 games without pay in April 2023, although it ruled that 20 of those games were considered served because he missed the 2022-23 season.

He missed the first 10 games of the 2023-24 campaign and made his season debut for the Hornets during a Nov. 17 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Charlotte wasted no time making him a major part of its rotation, and he averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 37.4 minutes per game last season.