Hornets' LaMelo Ball Diagnosed with Fractured Ankle Injury After Exiting vs. Pistons

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball suffered a fracture in his right ankle during Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

Ball suffered the injury and fell to the ground on a non-contact play when he was handling the ball:

The third-year guard had 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes prior to exiting. Charlotte went on to win the game, 117-106.

He has missed time at various points of the season because of ankle issues, and Monday's contest was just his 36th game of the 2022-23 campaign. His lack of availability is one reason Charlotte entered play with a 19-43 record, which is worse than every team in the Eastern Conference except the Pistons.

Ball, who was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft, is a franchise cornerstone for the Hornets when healthy.

He is averaging 23.4 points, 8.5 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game as something of a bright spot for a disappointing team, although he is shooting just 40.7 percent from the field with a career-worst 3.5 turnovers a night.

There is no reason for Charlotte to rush him back given its position in the standings. The 21-year-old's ability to take the court in future seasons is far more important than his availability for largely meaningless games during the stretch run of the 2022-23 campaign.

Look for Dennis Smith Jr. to see more playing time while Ball is sidelined.