The Charlotte Hornets have fallen completely out of playoff contention, partly due to a lack of roster talent but mostly due to injuries. Young forward Brandon Miller has been banged up a lot this season and is now out of the rest of the season with a wrist injury, and star guard LaMelo Ball recently went down with an ankle injury.

On Wednesday, Ball got an official timeline for that ankle injury that he suffered on Monday against the Lakers. He has a sprained left ankle and will be re-evaluated in one week, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. That timeline is somewhat fortunate for the Hornets considering Ball's extensive history of ankle injuries, which have plagued him throughout his career so far.

This specific injury was an unfortunate incident that can be passed off as just bad luck for Ball. He knocked down a 3-pointer against the Lakers and was backpedaling up the court when he stepped on the foot of a Lakers defender without looking. Ball crumpled to the ground immediately and was removed from the game.

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Ball missed a lot of time earlier this season due to injury, so he has been in and out of the lineup once again this season. When he has been on the court, Ball has been one of the few bright spots for a Hornets squad that continues to lose game after game. He is currently averaging a career-high 28.2 points per game and 7.3 assists a night and is carrying a Hornets offense that is lacking talent around him, especially since Miller went down for the season.

The Hornets are now in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after falling to 12-32 in that loss to the Lakers. They will be fully focused on getting in position for a high draft pick in the lottery this offseason as they try to add another star to the duo of Ball and Miller heading into next season. These injuries are certainly frustrating for a team that just can't get off the ground during this rebuild because it can't keep anybody healthy, but the addition of another top prospect will give it real hope heading into next season.