LaMelo Ball DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball will be locked into the weight room in the offseason if head coach Charles Lee has his way. "He's got to get stronger," Lee said about Ball Monday following the team's exit interviews. "Teams are trying to deny him, trying to be physical, and you can see early in the year when teams did it, it definitely bothered him," Lee said. "As he got used to it, he got a lot more comfortable, so it's going to start with his body. He's got to get stronger and more conditioned to be able to play both sides of the ball and sustain efforts. ... When you're one of the best players in the league, you have to be ready for physicality. In order to combat that, you have to be stronger." Building extra muscle on his 6-foot-7, 190-pound frame could also enable Ball to spend more time on the court. Over the past three seasons, he has played in just 105 games, causing frustration for fantasy managers.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle, wrist) will require surgery to address a right ankle impingement and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. He will also undergo "a minor procedure on his right wrist." The 2020 No. 3 overall pick played well this season, averaging a career-high 25.2 points with 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals. However. Ball will finish the year having logged only 47 games after appearing in 22 contests in 2023-24. Without question, he is an MVP-caliber player when healthy. But, based on Ball's inability to stay healthy, fantasy managers should consider other options heading into next season. In the meantime, KJ Simpson will likely work his way into the starting lineup, with the 22-year-old averaging 12.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in five starts this season.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) won't play on Friday versus the Raptors. Statistically, Ball has had a fantastic season, averaging a career-high 25.2 points with 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. However, as has been the case over the years, he has been limited by injuries, appearing in only 47 games. The Hornets can't make the playoffs, and with only 10 games remaining on the schedule, Ball may not be on the floor for most (if not all) of them. As such, Damion Baugh, assuming he gets called up from the G League, may find his way back into the starting lineup, with the 24-year-old averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in two starts this season. KJ Simpson also has a chance to roll with the first five, with Miles Bridges and Mark Williams the favorites to lead the way offensively no matter who takes over at the one.