Charlotte Hornets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back) will remain a spectator for Friday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, and it's likely to stay that way for about another month. General manager Mitch Kupchak revealed on Friday that while Williams is expected to return this season, he won't be re-evaluated for approximately four more weeks. It's not the update fantasy managers were looking for, and the 10-40 Hornets are unlikely to have much incentive to bring back the second-year big man in March. Williams should stay stashed for managers who can afford the roster spot, but those needing healthy bodies now can at least consider pulling the plug at this point. With P.J. Washington shipped away on Thursday and Grant Williams unavailable, Nick Richards should get all the run he can handle at the five against the struggling Bucks and going forward.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) has been ruled out for an eighth consecutive game and will have played a total of 22 out of a possible 51 games so far this year. The 22-year-old has been battling ankle injuries for a couple of years now and has only played 58 combined games from last year until now. His talent and abilities still warrant keeping him on all fantasy rosters unless there aren't any IR spots. After the Hornets traded away Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington, their going to go deep into the bench for the Friday night game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Brandon Miller, Ish Smith, and Bryce McGowens are the best options with Ball sidelined.

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back) is still out for Wednesday's game versus the Toronto Raptors. Williams' absence will now reach the two-month mark due to recovery from a lingering lower back contusion, and he remains out indefinitely. With Gordon Hayward (calf) getting upgraded to questionable on Wednesday following a lengthy hiatus, Williams will hope for a similarly positive update ahead of Friday's clash with the Milwaukee Bucks. Fellow paint presence Nick Richards has enjoyed an extended run of boosted fantasy value, most recently averaging 12.5 points on 69.2% field-goal shooting, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 31.0 minutes across his last eight appearances, and he finds himself in a favorable position against Toronto's mediocre defense on Wednesday.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) will miss a seventh consecutive game on Wednesday against the Raptors. Health issues have limited Ball to just seven games since Nov. 26, and he currently doesn't have a timeline for a return. Ish Smith is looking at a third straight start without Ball on Wednesday. The veteran hasn't been very productive with the extended minutes. Ball's injury and Terry Rozier's trade to Miami have had the biggest impact on Brandon Miller's performances, as the second pick from last year's draft has scored 20-plus points in nine of his last 11 appearances. Miller has even boosted his scoring average to 32.0 points in three games this month.

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back) will not play in Monday's game versus the Los Angeles Lakers. There just doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel here, with Williams now being absent for a 29th consecutive game. Until the Hornets provide an update on the 22-year-old interior presence's recovery from a lower back contusion, he should be deemed doubtful ahead of each tilt. Charlotte next hosts the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. In the meantime, Nick Richards will continue to man the middle for head coach Steve Clifford. A strong source of boards, swats, and field-goal percentage, Richards is providing 13.7 points on 72.5% field-goal shooting, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game since Jan. 24.