Charlotte Hornets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

The Charlotte Hornets have ruled out guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) for Wednesday's contest versus the Sacramento Kings. After fully practicing on Sunday, Ball is inching closer to a return from a sprained right ankle that he suffered on Nov. 28. The Hornets will hit the road for a three-game trip starting on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, which marks Ball's next shot to suit up. The 22-year-old star playmaker is notching 24.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.5 three-pointers, and 1.4 steals per game. A direct beneficiary of Ball's absence has not presented itself, with head coach Steve Clifford shuffling various names in and out of his starting five while also missing Frank Ntilikina (tibia). Besides Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller have received more offensive responsibilities.

Dallas Mavericks forward Grant Williams (ankle) is listed as probable for Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Williams made his return to the court on Sunday and played 20 minutes off the bench in that contest. It's worth noting that Dereck Lively II (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game. That could mean more playing time for Williams, but Dwight Powell will probably benefit the most here. Williams should remain a possible streaming option in deep leagues.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) is in the final phase of his rehabilitation after slowly ramping up his individual activity over the last five weeks and focusing on conditioning, and he could be back in the team's lineup soon. Ball was a full participant in Sunday's practice and did some five-on-five scrimmaging, indicating that he's on the mend with a sprained right ankle that's sidelined him since Nov. 28. It's shaping up as another lost season for the 8-25 Hornets, so while they miss Ball's 24.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.5 threes, and 1.4 steals per game, they are unlikely to hurry the 22-year-old All-Star back into the fray. Terry Rozier will continue to orchestrate Charlotte's offense in his stead, averaging 24.3 points, 7.7 assists, 3.0 three-pointers, and 1.4 steals in 16 games without Ball in 2023-24.

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back) has already been ruled out of Monday night's game against the Chicago Bulls. Usually, the team has been listing him as doubtful and then downgrading him the day of the game, but they didn't bother with that same song and dance this time around. There still isn't a timetable for Williams' return from his lower back contusion. There hasn't even been an update on how he feels and how much it's been limiting him from practice. So, while he sits out for a 14th consecutive game, Nick Richards will get the start at center again. Nathan Mensah saw some of the backup minutes in their last contest, while JT Thor could see some opportunities as well.

Dallas Mavericks forward Grant Williams (ankle) was upgraded from questionable to available late on Sunday evening ahead of their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was forced to miss their last contest against the Portland Trail Blazers while he dealt with a right ankle sprain, but that will be the only absence due to this ailment. Recently, it seems whether or not Williams gets the starting nod depends on the matchup. He may get the start in this one due to Dereck Lively II (ankle) and Maxi Kleber (toe) both missing the game. Williams is more fantasy-relevant when it comes to deeper leagues since he's not a great source of consistent stats.