LaMelo Ball Out 2 Weeks with Calf Injury; Hornets Star Diagnosed with Strain

The injury woes continue for Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who is dealing with a strained left calf.

Per an announcement from the team, Ball was diagnosed with the injury on Saturday and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

It's unclear exactly how Ball suffered the injury. He played 37 minutes in the Hornets' 98-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

The Hornets added him to their injury report before Friday's matchup with the New York Knicks. He was officially listed as questionable with a calf injury but wound up being held out of the game.

A two-week reevaluation timeline means that Ball will miss at least the next five games. The Hornets will likely be extremely cautious with the 23-year-old given his history of lower-leg injuries.

Ball missed 76 games in the previous two seasons combined due to ankle injuries. He had surgery in March to repair a fracture in his right ankle.

Hornets head coach Charles Lee said entering the season that Ball was going to start wearing ankle braces in an attempt to prevent them from being a problem again. It's unclear if his past ankle issues had any impact on his calf injury.

The injury halts the momentum for Ball, who was off to a terrific start this season. He ranks second in the NBA in scoring average (31.1 points per game) and 12th in assists (6.9).

Ball's absence will require other players on the Hornets' roster to step up because they have struggled to generate offense even with his production. They rank 26th in offensive rating and 27th in points per game.

Backup point guard Tre Mann will miss his fifth consecutive game on Friday due to a back injury. Vasilije Micić will likely remain the starting point guard for the time being.

The Hornets have lost four straight and six of their last seven games. Their 6-13 record overall ranks 12th in the Eastern Conference, ahead of only the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards.