Do the Hornets need to consider shutting LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams down?

Is playing more not worth it for oft-injured Hornets?

Mar 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1), guard Seth Curry (30) and center Mark Williams (5) on the bench during the first quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

If the first part of the season wasn't enough evidence, let the last three Charlotte Hornets games be proof: this season is totally irrevocably lost, and the Hornets are not close to being a good team. In the future, they might be, and they'll probably need more growth from LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams.

Those two players are often hurt, and they've been dealing with an injury or managing the workload to accommodate for an injury for most of this season. Is there a chance the Hornets decide to shut down one or both of them in March to prevent any major injuries?

Feb 22, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) puts up a shot during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In the case of Mark Williams, the Hornets probably cannot afford to sit him down. He was an attempted trade earlier this year, and his health is the reason it fell through. He and his agent and even some insiders don't believe there were any actual health issues, but that it was more cold feet on the part of the Los Angeles Lakers after they paid a king's ransom for Williams.

That said, the perception of Williams now is that he's damaged goods. The only way to rebuild his value is to play him as much as possible down the stretch. This can accomplish two things. First, it allows teams to get a better look at how healthy and good Williams can be. Second, it gives the Hornets more of an opportunity to determine if they should actually keep Williams in the long run.

The case for LaMelo Ball is not so simple. Obviously, the Hornets need Ball to play and play well to win. He had two clunkers in a row, and it resulted in 53 and 42-point losses. He sat for the third game, and the team lost by 36.

Feb 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) takes a jump shot during pregame warmups before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

For them to remain competitive and interesting to fans who show up night in and night out to support, Ball has to be in the lineup whenever he's not actually hurt. Is that the smartest move for the franchise? Maybe not, but it's the only thing keeping the team somewhat relevant right now.

On the other hand, Ball has been hurt on three different occasions this year, twice suffering an ankle injury. Those have plagued him before, and what if he sprains his ankle or worse and misses some time next year as a result?

This is the decision the front office has to make, and it's not an easy one. Ball certainly wants to play, and any wins the Hornets get down the stretch will undoubtedly be because of him. They will also hurt the Hornets' chances of winning the Cooper Flagg lottery, but where is the balance for a team that's clearly not very good right now?

It's not likely that either player will be shut down for the season, but they will both probably spend a lot of nights on the bench in an abundance of caution for the remaining games this year.

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