LaMelo Ball suffered an injury driving to the basket in a preseason game and has been inactive since making his availability a concern for the season opener.
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In what marked the worst point of a horror off-season, the Hornets had star guard LaMelo Ball walk off injured in preseason. And with that, alongside the legal issues surrounding Miles Bridges and James Bouknight, the Hornets are officially at a low point.
What looked like a fun and promising roster is now heavily depleted and amongst the worst in the league. With a generational tank touted in the NBA, Charlotte may find itself in the midst of it as it stands.
Regardless, an opening fixture against a similarly tank-bound Spurs should be a winnable affair. And one cannot fathom a Michael Jordan-led team throwing in the towel on day 1.
Missing the key facilitator could hurt the Hornets though.
So, is LaMelo Ball available or a no-factor for the Hornets’ season opener?
Unfortunately for the Hornets, it would appear this matter be dealt with, without their All-Star. LaMelo’s injury from preseason shall keep him off the hardwood for some more time, it would appear.
Melo’s injury report for the game reads unavailable with a left ankle sprain. There appears to be no further damage and a quick recovery may get the Hornets their point guard back.
The Hornets’ injury report against the Spurs has LaMelo Ball OUT due to a left ankle sprain.
— Ty Jäger (@TheTyJager) October 18, 2022
Ball is without a doubt the face of the franchise and would want to build on his All-Star resume.
Will the Hornets be able to keep up a respectable record without their star man? Or will the allure of Wembanyama force a tank and longer “unavailability” issues in the roster?
Why are the Hornets suddenly short-handed after a couple of promising seasons?
The Charlotte Hornets were a team on the rise coming into the 2022-23 off-season. With Lamelo Ball and Miles Bridges growing into stars and a solid supporting cast, a bigger leap was on the horizon.
However, things unraveled at a rapid rate for the Hornets. Star forward and walking highlight reel, Miles Bridges was charged with assault charges. With a return unlikely, the Bridges era appears to have ended at Charlotte.
With Bridges out of the picture, a turn of stardom from last season’s lottery pick James Bouknight could have sparked a charge in the Hornets’ season. However, that dream didn’t last long either, with Boukight arrested for a DUI charge, just as the season was set for tip-off.
Two possible members of their eight-man rotation are practically unavailable now. And with no significant off-season additions made, the roster suddenly appears set to mark a downward curve in the LaMelo era for the Hornets.
A middling-to-bad season awaits Charlotte. With draft luck never a friend, a change in fortunes could very much be welcome at Charlotte right now.
