Hornets head coach Charles Lee comments on LaMelo Ball missing second straight game

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball missed his second straight game on Tuesday as the Hornets lost a winnable road game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Melo last played against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, as he fought through obvious mobility and pain issues to battle alongside his teammates, finishing with 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in 33 grueling minutes.

Melo is dealing with a right ankle impingement right now. An impingement occurs when soft tissues, such as nerves or tendons, are compressed within a joint (in LaMelo’s case, his ankle), which can be very painful.

Everyone’s rooting for Melo to be pain-free, and Hornets fans can’t help but wonder when he’ll be available to play again. Charlotte had an excellent showing without him on Sunday in a win over the Utah Jazz, but then his absence was very noticeable against New Orleans, as the Hornets struggled to take care of the ball and execute offense down the stretch.

Hornets head coach Charles Lee gives update on LaMelo Ball’s ankle

Charles Lee spoke with the media ahead of the Pelicans game and provided an update on Melo.

“The goal is always ... to put all of our players in the best position to be available for as many games as possible,” Lee said.

Asked Charles Lee about LaMelo missing a second straight game and if there's any concern: pic.twitter.com/dlZqOsCkOn
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) November 4, 2025

“(LaMelo) went through a shootaround today. You know, he isn't going to be able to go tonight, obviously, but we'll just continue to evaluate him every day. And he’s a little bit better today, I think, than he was yesterday, and hopefully that trend continues.”

It’s great to hear from Lee that LaMelo appears to be improving. The 24-year-old guard is averaging 23.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game in six games this season for Charlotte, and everyone’s been hoping that 2025-26 would be the season that Melo puts his durability concerns to rest and plays a huge number of games.

That’s still very possible, as the season’s young.

Melo has appeared in just 35 games per season over the past three years. During his lone All-Star campaign (2021-22), he played in 75 games. He played in 51 games out of 72 in the shortened 2020-21 NBA season, when Melo won Rookie of the Year.

The Hornets’ upcoming schedule features a Friday date in Miami with the Heat, followed by two home games: Monday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers and Wednesday vs. the Milwaukee Bucks.

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