Hornets Star Guard Could Return Tonight

There hasn’t been much reason for optimism for Charlotte Hornets fans this season, so recent news from Shams Charania will be a welcome change of pace for fans. The NBA insider claims the Hornets could be getting their young all-star back on the court as soon as tonight: point guard LaMelo Ball has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game against the Miami Heat.

Hornets All-Star LaMelo Ball could make his season debut tonight vs. Miami as he has been upgraded to questionable. Charlotte is off to a 3-10 start to the season without Ball.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 12, 2022

The report was confirmed by the Charlotte Hornets Public Relations account, in a tweet that showed just how badly injuries have decimated the Hornets this year.

UPDATE: @hornets guard LaMelo Ball (L Ankle Sprain) has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game at MIA https://t.co/FFqkXQjQfS

— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) November 12, 2022

Ball suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain in preseason that has kept him out for the Hornets’ first 13 games. Since then, the team has also lost Dennis Smith Jr., Gordon Hayward, and Cody Martin, depleting their roster amid a brutal 3-10 start. The Hornets just barely survived past the regular season, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 43-39 record before being dispatched by the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In game. A lot of their success was due to the development of Ball, who’s excellent playmaking and scoring ability earned the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year his first All-Star appearance.

It remains to be seen whether Ball will actually play tonight, and to what extent, as the team will surely want to take things slowly to ensure the 21-year-old’s proper recovery. But whether it’s today or next week, Hornets fans should be excited at the prospect of seeing their best player on the floor again.

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