LaMelo Ball's injury could officially put the Hornets' focus on 2025-26

LaMelo Ball went down with an ankle injury last night. The Charlotte Hornets guard nailed a stepback three and backpedaled to get back on defense. Jarred Vanderbilt was running behind him, and Ball stepped on the Los Angeles Lakers guard's foot and rolled his ankle.

Ball went down in pain. He hobbled to his feet, and walked over to foul the Lakers to stop the clock before limping back to the locker room. He was immediately ruled out and did not return to the game. The Hornets mounted a furious comeback, but without Ball, it fell short.

Replay of LaMelo Ball rolling his left ankle while backpedaling after hitting a 3. pic.twitter.com/tCx6MBzGuE
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 28, 2025

This is not the kind of injury Ball needs to sustain. He's had numerous ankle injuries over the years. It's been one of the nagging issues that has kept him from playing more than 40 games in every season but one. Ball's ankles have been his worst enemy, and at the very least he has now missed part of a game thanks to another injury to them. He's probably going to miss at least a couple of games regardless.

There's no diagnosis yet, though. The Hornets could've been cautious in ruling him out expeditiously. He does have a history, and the game was not close and the Hornets aren't exactly contenders. However, the speed with which they ruled him out does not bode well.

Provided he's not back on the floor in a few days (the Hornets play again on Wednesday), Charlotte may as well put a pin in this season. The hole they currently find themselves in is likely too big to climb out of anyway, but without Ball, it's a lost cause.

This should shift the focus to 2025-26. The Hornets have been down this road before, and if Ball is out for an extended period of time again, they should call it on 2024-25. That means doing everything they can to set up for the future.

Jan 25, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) reacts during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

That means trading Vasilije Micic and letting Nick Smith Jr. and KJ Simpson get the majority of minutes at point guard. It means taking on as many expiring contracts and adding assets as they can to set themselves up for free agency and the draft in the future. It means auditioning everyone they're not certain about to see what they have.

The Hornets can't really afford to lose Ball for an extended period of time again. If they do, they have no choice but to move on and start building for next season. They probably already are, but they might be noncompetitive in their games as well.

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