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Injury Pains and Close Losses: What’s Next for the Charlotte Hornets
Nov 21, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) reacts during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe/Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
The Big Picture The Charlotte Hornets are staring down an all-too-familiar problem: injuries. How are we here again for a 3rd straight season?! From LaMelo Ball’s strained calf to ongoing absences like Mark Williams and Miles Bridges, this season feels eerily like past years where setbacks derailed momentum. Yet, there’s reason for optimism, led by Brandon Miller’s growth and flashes from Tidjane Salaun.
💡 Key Observations
1. Injuries Galore:
• LaMelo Ball will be reevaluated in two weeks, leaving the Hornets without their main offensive engine.
• Tre Mann’s back injury further complicates Charlotte’s ability to generate scoring.
• Mark Williams and Miles Bridges remain sidelined, amplifying the team’s struggles to build cohesion.
2. Rising Stars:
• Brandon Miller delivered an impressive 32-point performance against Atlanta, stepping into a leadership role but defenses can easily key in on him, taking away his efficiency.
• Rookie Tidjane Salaun oscillates between promise and growing pains, highlighted by his 17-point game against New York and 0/8 game against Atlanta.
3. Coaching Under Pressure:
• Despite the injuries, Charles Lee has kept the team competitive, with three recent losses by a combined eight points.
• Adjustments, like limiting star opponents’ free throw attempts, are paying off in tighter games.
🛠️ My Take This season’s injuries push the Hornets into a precarious position. While Brandon Miller’s star power shines brighter, it’s clear Charlotte is at a crossroads: double down on development or consider strategic trades. Without LaMelo, this roster looks fragile, but there’s value in these moral victories, especially in keeping young players engaged.
🏀 What’s Next? Isaiah Wong joins the squad to bolster backcourt depth. His addition highlights the Hornets’ need for playmaking—a likely focus for the upcoming NBA Draft. Meanwhile, the team’s competitive streak must turn into actual wins soon, or frustrations will mount for both fans and players.
Why It Matters: A third straight year of injuries underscores deeper questions about Charlotte’s long-term resilience. This team needs health and clarity at the trade deadline to avoid another wasted season.
🎯 Bottom Line While injuries steal headlines, the Hornets’ young talent offers glimpses of a promising future. The next steps at the trade deadline and in player development will determine if this season becomes a launchpad or another year to forget.
December 1, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada/Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
You’d be forgiven if, a quarter of the way through the season (yes), you haven’t given the following teams that much attention. Maybe your main rooting interest has been struggling, and it’s taken all your psychic energy to will them through the slump. Better yet, maybe your team is thriving and you’ve been enjoying the ride. Maybe you’re still looking for a team to get behind, in which case, the following three franchises would make great options.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks being on this list has not alleviated my general wariness of the Hawks as a whole, but they’ve been playing through some of the things that make me doubt them. First, the Hawks love to play up. That is, they tend to excel against technically better and markedly more skilled teams; teams farther along the competitive timeline that I always get they feeling Atlanta would rather emulate than put the work in to be at the same level with.
This season, the Hawks are still playing up — they’ve beat the best in conference Cavaliers twice — but they’re recognizing what should be easy wins, like against the Charlotte Hornets. With Trae Young injured and in and out of the lineup, Atlanta’s bench has provided some of the most needed and entertaining offensive bursts in the league, with De’Andre Hunter back with a vengeance after being out for 10 games with a knee injury. Hunter’s regularly putting up 20-plus points per night, and hounding the glass.
Atlanta has a string of high-low games this week, facing the Pelicans, Bucks, Lakers and Nuggets, which should be an ample test to whether they can play and stay consistent.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Josh Green discusses the synergy between new coach Charles Lee and the Charlotte Hornets, focusing on their two-way connectivity approach. Read the analysis. (Sports Illustrated)
Ranking LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are both in ESPN’s top 25 under 25 rankings. Where do they sit? See for yourself.
Milestone Jimmy Butler misses shot so Bam Adebayo can record a triple-double in Heat win (Bleacher Report)
Tuesday, Dec. 03 | 7:00 PM | Spectrum Center (Charlotte, NC) | Get Tickets
Hornets @ Knicks
Thursday, Dec. 05 | 7:30 PM | Madison Square Garden (New York, NY) | Get Tickets
Cavaliers @ Hornets
Saturday, Dec. 07 | 1:00 PM | Spectrum Center (Charlotte, NC) | Get Tickets
3peat (ICYMI)
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Hornets podcasts.
Injury Updates and Close Losses: What LaMelo Ball’s latest injury means for the Charlotte Hornets season In this jam-packed episode of Locked On Hornets, we recap the whirlwind of developments since our last recording. Injuries continue to pile up, with LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann, and Mark Williams sidelined, leaving the team struggling to find rhythm amidst frequent lineup changes. Walker Mehl and Doug Branson assess how these setbacks impact the Hornets’ trade deadline strategy and the long-term direction of the franchise. Should they prioritize development, make bold moves, or let the chips fall?
Should the Hornets Sell High on LaMelo Ball? + Mark Williams & Nick Richards return incoming On today’s Locked On Hornets, we ask the big question: Should the Hornets sell high on LaMelo Ball? His recent scoring streak has been remarkable, but would trading him now set Charlotte back for years? Doug takes on the trade chatter and explains why the Hornets need to pump the brakes on the idea of moving their franchise star.
LaMelo Ball Scores 44 But Turnovers Doom Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic LaMelo Ball scores 44 in an electric performance, but it wasn’t enough as the Charlotte Hornets fell to the Orlando Magic. On today’s Locked On Hornets, we break down the Hornets’ offensive struggles, the record-breaking streak by LaMelo, and the alarming turnover rate that doomed the team. Doug Branson, David Walker, and Walker Mehl dig into LaMelo’s isolation play, Brandon Miller’s growing pains, and the Hornets’ injury-ridden roster. Plus, updates on Mark Williams and Nick Richards’ rehab assignments, and what their returns mean for Charlotte. Tune in for a full breakdown of this wild season
