The Charlotte Hornets can't catch a break early in the 2023-24 season with injuries. After having seven 30-point games in his last 10 games, LaMelo Ball suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter of their matchup with the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Ball only played in 36 games in the 2022-23 season due to an ankle injury that put him out for the season. There's no timetable for his return yet, but the Hornets did lose to the Magic, 130-117, snapping a two-game winning streak. Now it's time to figure out what this team will need to stay afloat if they are going to miss their franchise player for an extended period of time.
Hornets must figure out who goes where
Steve Clifford just got Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington back into the lineup, but lost a more valuable piece in Ball. Still, the Hornets coach kept it real after losing Ball to injury.
“That's something that we will look at tomorrow. It's not just about who starts. More so how you get to 48 minutes of the most balanced offense and defense on the floor.”
More than likely, that means Hornet rookie Brandon Miller will be inserted back into the starting lineup. Miller was playing shooting guard once Rozier went down the first time. Rozier will slide to the 1, while Miller steps in to play some 2-guard.
It's one of the perks of drafting a versatile wing who can play either wing spot in a pinch. He might not create for others like Ball or Rozier, but he is no pushover as a scorer. Over his last four games, Miller is averaging over 18 points per game on 54% shooting from the field and 55% from deep.
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