Is it time to be concerned about LaMelo Ball's future?

LaMelo Ball left the eventual loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night after 10 minutes with "right ankle soreness." He had no designation prior to the game after missing Sunday's loss against the Detroit Pistons, but the Charlotte Hornets ruled him out for the remainder of the game at halftime on Monday.

INJURY UPDATE: @hornets at BKN 1/10

LaMelo Ball (Right Ankle Soreness) has been ruled out for the remainder of tonight’s game. https://t.co/L5HgbezhVi
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) February 11, 2025

It's the second time Ball has left a game with an ankle injury this season, and he has had several ankle ailments throughout his NBA career. He missed a major chunk of last season with an ankle injury and had to have surgery. Is it time to get concerned about him?

That time may have passed already. The frequency of his ankle injuries is and has been concerning. However, they shouldn't necessarily cause concern for his long-term future. This is a problem that plagued Steph Curry in his 20s, too, and Curry is now 36 and still going strong. He hasn't had ankle problems in a very long time.

Ball will need to do something about it, though. He's already added ankle braces to his gameday attire, which is a start. Obviously, they're not completely alleviating the problem, but he has taken at least one step to prevent them.

The Hornets could also just be exercising extreme caution this time. The Hornets are in a losing season, and they could be in play for the number one overall pick. The staff might hear Ball complain about his ankle being sore and decide to play it safe. Ball remaining healthy is what matters, and a loss gets them one step closer to Cooper Flagg in theory.

Feb 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) brings the ball up court against Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With that in mind, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him sit the final game before the All-Star break, either. Unless he was genuinely just sore and needed to rest, it would make sense for the Hornets to give Ball eight full days off his ankle before their first contest after the break.

The diagnosis of this ankle injury and the length of time he misses will either add fuel to the fire or do nothing. If he's out for a while, the Hornets and their fans may need to start considering post-Ball futures. If he comes back quickly, then the conversation can at least be put off until later.

Whatever happens, though, Ball will once again need to make an adjustment. Maybe he undergoes surgeries to clean things up or does training specifically to improve balance and ankle strength like Curry did, but there's a good chance he will do just that.

Whether or not Ball cares about winning like the NBA media often says (he does care about winning), he does care about being out on the court. He loves playing basketball and does it with a whimsy that no one else does. The Hornets star can't do that from the bench, so he will probably do what he needs to to continue getting healthier in that department.

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