Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will miss the remainder of the 2023–24 NBA season as he undergoes two minor procedures to address lingering issues in his right ankle and wrist, the team announced Friday.
Ball is set to have arthroscopic surgery to treat a right ankle impingement, along with a separate procedure on his right wrist. The decision comes after Ball had been playing through discomfort in recent weeks. Ball and the team consulted with medical specialists before agreeing that surgery was the best long-term solution. Team physicians and outside experts concluded that the procedures would support a full recovery and allow for a productive offseason.
The 23-year-old has battled ankle injuries over the past several seasons, missing at least 25 games in each of the last three years. He played a career-high 75 games in the 2021–22 season but has since been sidelined repeatedly. In 2023, he underwent surgery on the same right ankle and was shut down on March 28—exactly one year prior to this latest announcement—following a recurrence of issues after a sprain suffered in November 2023.
Ball concludes his season averaging a career-best 25.2 points per game, along with 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds over 32 minutes in 47 appearances. He is the first player in franchise history to average at least 25 points and seven assists in a single season. He also set a team record with six games of 25 points and 10 assists, and recorded the second-highest usage rate in the NBA this year.
The Hornets (18-54) currently hold the league’s third-worst record but have accumulated substantial draft assets as part of their long-term rebuilding strategy. Since October, the organization has acquired six additional picks and currently owns 11 first-round and 13 second-round selections in future drafts, while retaining control of all its own first-round picks.
While the Hornets found on-court success in limited stretches with a core group including Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams, those lineups were hampered by frequent injuries. Miller missed time with various injuries before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery in January. Bridges was sidelined nearly a month due to a bone bruise in his right knee. Williams started the season injured and was later involved in a potential trade to the Los Angeles Lakers that fell through after a failed physical.
Ball’s absence leaves Charlotte without its leading scorer as the team closes out another injury-riddled campaign, though the organization remains focused on its long-term roster development.
