LaMelo Ball Will Make 1st Career Start for Hornets vs. Heat After Rozier Injury

LaMelo Ball will make his first career NBA start Monday night against the Miami Heat.

The Charlotte Hornets announced Terry Rozier is out with a right ankle sprain. That opened the door for Ball to enter the starting lineup alongside Devonte' Graham.

Rozier's injury may have hastened the inevitable.

Through 20 games, Ball is averaging 12.2 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 25.1 minutes. His shooting remains a work in progress—29.9 percent on three-pointers—but he's outplaying Graham, the regular starter at the point.

In his last outing, the 19-year-old nearly posted a double-double (27 points, nine assists, five rebounds) in a 126-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Last Saturday, head coach James Borrego sounded like he was content to slow-play Ball's ascension in the rotation, per Rookie Wire's Cody Taylor:

"When he's earning these minutes, he's in the upper 20s. In the games he's played well, it feels like we're playing well. He's a major part of that, absolutely. The hope is that we do get him more minutes. It's a long season, though, it's 72 games. … It's a new environment, it's a new league. I love the Australian league, (but) this is a different league. My goal is to get him through 72 games, growing, developing. I'm going to push his minutes here and there. I'm going to change (that but) what I'm asking of him is very consistent: Defend, rebound, push the pace, play with great confidence. Those are the things he does."

Borrego has a straightforward decision for as long as Rozier is out. The more difficult call will come when Ball, Graham and Rozier are all healthy and available.

If Ball makes the most of his starting opportunity Monday night—and potentially beyond—then sending him back to the bench could be an unpopular outcome in Charlotte.