LaMelo Ball Could Make Return from Wrist Injury for Hornets vs. Pistons

The Charlotte Hornets might get a major boost this weekend. 

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, star rookie LaMelo Ball has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday's matchup versus the Detroit Pistons, meaning he could potentially make his return after a lengthy absence:

Ball, 19, was the clear front-runner to win the Rookie of the Year Award this season before he fractured his wrist, averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three. 

Perhaps he'll still win the award, though missing such a large chunk of the season could hurt his cases with voters. His biggest competition is Anthony Edwards (18.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 40.2 field-goal percentage, 31.8 percent from three), who has played in 23 more games. 

More importantly, however, the Hornets desperately need him back. The team is jockeying for playoff positioning at 30-32, currently putting them eighth in the East. They've also been without key players in Gordon Hayward and Malik Monk, with depth becoming an issue in the compacted schedule of the shortened 2020-21 season. 

"I'd like to rest all the guys, to be honest," Hornets head coach James Borrego told reporters this week when asked if he would like to get a player like Terry Rozier some rest. "The reality is this is the schedule. This is the NBA. We rested Terry one time (against the Los Angeles Lakers April 13); as a competitor he wants to play."

"I've tried to manage their minds and their bodies throughout the season," Borrego added. "We've got the final 10 here. We need every one of them."

And they might have Ball back in time for that last stretch.