LaMelo Ball's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

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 guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) will once again miss Monday's tilt versus the Los Angeles Lakers. The 10-38 Hornets are clearly in no rush to bring back their franchise centerpiece, considering they continue to rule him out well in advance of tip-offs. Ball's next shot to return comes on Wednesday when Charlotte hosts the Toronto Raptors, but since it's unclear if the All-Star point guard is even practicing at this point, we wouldn't hold our breath on that happening. With Melo on the shelf and Terry Rozier recently shipped to the Heat, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges have operated as the engines on offense. The Lakers have struggled to defend opposing forwards this year, so both Miller and Bridges feature plenty of DFS appeal if this contest stays close.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) won't play on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. He'll now miss his fifth consecutive contest and 26th game of the year. Like the 2022-23 campaign, Ball remains plagued by routine injuries this season. Although he's a capable producer, his inability to stay healthy is a significant issue for fantasy managers, and it doesn't appear it will improve anytime soon. That said, with Gordon Hayward (calf) still sidelined, the door is open for Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges to lead the way offensively. However, Bryce McGowens, coming off a 15-point, four-steal performance versus OKC, is worth considering for streaming purposes.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) is considered doubtful for the team's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. The star guard has been dealing with ankle issues all season and he'll now miss his fourth consecutive game due to right ankle tendinopathy. This is going to be his 25th missed game of the season, so he won't be eligible for any regular season awards. In terms of finding a streaming option, the Hornets have been going with a roulette of guards to throw into the starting lineup in Ball's place. Ish Smith and Bryce McGowens have each received one game of starting point guard duties while P.J. Washington was thrown into the mix to create a big starting five. All three should receive more minutes while Washington is likely the best bet if any fantasy managers are desperately in need of a replacement.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) has been downgraded from doubtful to out for Wednesday's game versus the Chicago Bulls. Ball continues to nurse soreness in his right ankle, which has cost him the team's past two contests, and he'll aim to return when the 10-35 Hornets head out for a brief one-game road trip on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Terry Rozier now in South Beach, Charlotte has been forced to turn to swingman Cody Martin as their starting point guard. Over Martin's past nine games without Ball in the lineup, he is averaging 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 three-pointers and is worth a look in deep fantasy leagues despite a tough matchup against Alex Caruso's lockdown defense.