Why Is It Important for the Hornets Starting Point Guard to Remain Healthy This Season?

Since the Hornets drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, LaMelo Ball has been seen as a cornerstone to an eventual turnaround for the Charlotte franchise. However, Ball’s career has been marred by injuries that have kept him off the court and have kept fans and the organization from seeing his full potential in the NBA. With trade rumors circling him, Ball needs to change the narrative around him that he can remain healthy for a season and contribute to the team for the long term. The Hornets desperately need to keep the 2021 Rookie of the Year. They know what he can produce on the court, but they need to see if Ball can remain on the court and not on the sidelines in street clothes for the majority of the season.

Throughout his career, Ball has played in 105 out of a possible 246 regular-season games. He has missed games due to a long history of injuries to his wrists, ankles, and knee sprains. In sports, injuries happen, and sometimes the recovery process for these injuries takes time. However, when you have a long list of injuries such as LaMelo’s, it begs the question: What is the starting point guard doing to protect himself? Is he taking care of his body? Is he getting stronger? These are all questions that Hornets fans have had over the years, as they want to see Ball consistently on the court. With the moves the Hornets made this summer at the guard position, getting depth, not only do they acquire guards with different skillsets, but they can also deploy somebody like Spencer Dinwiddie in the case that Ball suffers an injury again this year.

His health is also important if the Hornets decide to trade Ball, as no team will trade for a player of his caliber if he does not show a clean bill of health. Charlotte will also be looking for a substantial return in advance, such as multiple first-round picks. As of right now, I do not think any team would give that package to the Hornets if they know that LaMelo Ball is injury-prone and Charlotte will not receive a package that they deem acceptable. It is up to Ball and his ability to remain healthy that will determine his fate with the Hornets.

Overall, LaMelo Ball is seen as the foundation of the Charlotte Hornets and is by far the team’s most popular player. However, if the team’s most popular player, who has dealt with injuries throughout his career, can’t remain healthy, then he will not be a part of the team anymore. The Hornets organization, if they decide to move on from Ball, cannot receive a haul that they wish to build for their franchise if Ball does not show consistent health as well. In a perfect world, the 2021 draft pick would remain healthy and would help the Hornets contend in the Eastern Conference, but in reality, the Hornets need their starting point guard to remain healthy so that they can compete in the Eastern Conference in the years to come. The only question that remains is, can he?