Charlotte Hornets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Poole, Wizards, Butler, LaMelo

November 28th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran guard Jordan Poole considers the Wizards‘ recent struggles necessary for the team to eventually take the leap to the next level. Following a 121-96 home defeat to the Clippers on Wednesday, Washington’s 13th in a row, Poole addressed reporters post-game, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).

“It’s just a matter of figuring things out,” Poole said. “Good things take time… You’ve got to go through it. Every organization has to go through tough times in order to figure out what the good times are like, if that makes sense. You’ve got to figure it out, you’re building a foundation, you’re laying pieces. It’s not supposed to be easy.”

Washington is currently 2-15 on the year, and in prime position to earn a top lottery pick for next year’s loaded draft.

Across 15 games this season, the Michigan alum is averaging 20.3 points on a .449/.432/.883 slash line. He’s also dishing out 4.7 assists and pulling down 2.1 rebounds per.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Just a month and change into their 2024/25 season, the Wizards are already feeling the effects of their rebuild, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “To me, we don’t really have a choice,” rookie guard Kyshawn George said Wednesday. “It’s too easy to just give up, and you lean on the people that are around you. I think we have a great group of guys as persons that hold each other accountable. We’re all working toward the same goal — the players and the coaching staff and the whole organization. So, it’s too easy to just say, ‘OK, this is what it is, and we’re not going to get better.’”
Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler was held out of the fourth quarter of the team’s eventual 98-94 Wednesday win over the Hornets due to an achy back, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Reserve center Kevin Love is also dealing with back issues. He departed the Heat’s 106-103 loss to the Bucks on Tuesday ahead of the second half and missed the Charlotte game. “He’s not comfortable enough to play today or finish the game yesterday,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday of Love. “But he’s dealt with it before and we’ll see how he feels when we get back.” Butler is considered probable to suit up for Miami’s next game on Friday, while Love is merely questionable, Chiang writes in another story.
Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball will sit out Charlotte’s NBA Cup clash with the Knicks on Friday due to a sore left calf, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Boone notes that Ball has enjoyed a fairly healthy start to the year, appearing in all 18 contests for the 6-12 Hornets so far. Always a prolific scorer, the 6’7″ pro has topped himself this year, averaging 31.1 points per game on .430/.356/.848 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 6.9 dimes and 5.4 boards per contest.

Tre Mann Still Experiencing Low Back Soreness

November 27th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Hornets guard Tre Mann will miss his third straight game tonight with low back soreness, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). In a pre-game meeting with reporters, coach Charles Lee explained that Mann hasn’t responded to treatment as quickly as the team’s training staff had hoped, and the decision to keep him sidelined was made with concern for his long-term health. Lee added that Mann has shown some “mild” progress, and the team’s doctors will monitor his rehab and be cautious about how they manage him.

Southeast Notes: Carter, Suggs, Bridges, Risacher, Sarr

November 27th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. will return to action on Wednesday against Chicago after missing the past 12 games due to left foot plantar fasciitis, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters that Carter, who last played on November 3, will be on a minutes limit.

“He’s definitely going to be on a minutes (restriction) after sitting out that long. You’re going to have a time frame of 14-16 minutes just to see where he is,” Mosley said. “Sometimes those guys, coming from (injury), the conditioning side is a big piece. But we want to make sure we slowly walk it back in vs. just ramping up right away.”

The Magic played some of their best basketball early in the season during the six games in which Carter was available. His +10.4 on-court net rating is the second-best mark among the team’s regulars.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Carter’s foot injury plays a central role in a story from Jason Quick of The Athletic, who takes a closer look at the bond between the Magic big man and teammate Jalen Suggs. Frustrated in that Nov. 3 contest by suffering another injury after setting a goal of playing all 82 games this season, Carter broke down in tears on Orlando’s bench and was consoled by Suggs, his closest friend on the team. “I’m glad he cried, glad he let out tears,” Suggs said. “I think it’s important to have those moments. In those moments you know you are still human. And it shows he is one with himself. In that space, in front of 17,000 fans, he was still authentically him.”
Hornets forward Miles Bridges, sidelined since last Tuesday due to a right knee bone bruise, has resumed individual on-court work, the team announced today (via Twitter). Bridges returned just 10 days after sustaining a similar injury earlier this month, but the team may be more cautious this time around, given that he aggravated the issue in his third game back.
Zaccharie Risacher wasn’t a typical no-brainer No. 1 pick, but it looks like he should be a good fit for the Hawks, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who examines Risacher’s first few weeks in the NBA and shares early impressions from his head coach and teammates. As Weiss relays, Quin Snyder has lauded Risacher’s work ethic and mentality, while teammate Larry Nance Jr. praised the rookie’s willingness to embrace a team-first role. “I think he’s got a high ceiling, but I think it’s going to take time,” general manager Landry Fields said of the 19-year-old forward. “He’s got a longer runway.”
This year’s No. 2 overall pick, Wizards center Alex Sarr, had his best offensive game of the season on Tuesday vs. Chicago, with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Varun Shankar of The Washington Post has the story on the silver lining of the Wizards’ 12th straight loss, noting that veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon has offered the rookie some tips on his outside shot.

Southeast Notes: Suggs, Brogdon, Coulibaly, Williams, Salaun, Diabate

November 25th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic guard Jalen Suggs won’t play in Monday’s game against Charlotte due to a left hamstring strain, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. Suggs has started all of Orlando’s previous 18 games, averaging 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Suggs signed a five-year, $105.5MM extension last month.

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Malcolm Brogdon has provided a calming influence on the Wizards since returning from a thumb injury, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post writes. Brogdon has scored 33 points with six assists over the last two games. “When things go awry or things are feeling sticky … Malcolm is a surefire way for us to get back in the groove of what we’re trying to do,” teammate Corey Kispert said. Brogdon will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly says he’s improved defensively in his second season by “not respecting” his opponents as much and “getting more physical with them,” he told Wizards reporter Bijan Todd (Twitter link). Coulibaly has racked up eight steals and three blocks over the past four games.
With Grant Williams suffering a season-ending knee injury, Hornets coach Charles Lee will have to try to replace Williams’ production in the short term with Tidjane Salaün and two-way player Moussa Diabate, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer points out. That’s because Mark Williams and Nick Richards are still on the mend from injuries. Williams hasn’t played for nearly a year and Richards is recovering from a rib injury.

Injury Notes: Monk, Sixers, Hayes, Dick, Hornets, Ball

November 25th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings guard Malik Monk has been unavailable since November 10 due to a right ankle sprain, but it sounds like he could be back in action on Monday. Sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) that Monk will go through pre-game warm-ups with the intention of playing vs. Oklahoma City.

Monk has officially been listed as questionable to suit up, notes Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 in Sacramento (Twitter link).

It would provide the Kings’ offense with a much-needed jolt if Monk is able to return. The team, which had a 115.2 offensive rating (ninth in the NBA) and a 6-4 record through its first 10 games, has posted a 111.9 mark (18th) and gone 2-5 with Monk inactive.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Paul George (knee bone bruise) did some on-court work over the weekend and the swelling has gone down in Joel Embiid‘s left knee, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Sunday (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports). While Nurse said both stars are making progress, it remains to be seen whether either will be available on Wednesday vs. Houston.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has been on the shelf since November 10 due to a left ankle sprain, has been listed as probable to play on Tuesday vs. Phoenix and said he “definitely” expects to suit up, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter links).
Second-year wing Gradey Dick had appeared in the Raptors‘ first 17 games this season, emerging as one of their go-to scoring options, but he’ll be sidelined on Monday vs. Detroit due to a left calf strain, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. It’s unclear how much time Dick might miss beyond Monday as a result of the injury.
The Hornets assigned injured centers Mark Williams (left foot tendon strain) and Nick Richards (rib fracture) to the G League to practice with the Greensboro Swarm on Monday, according to the team (Twitter link). That’s a sign that both big men are getting close to returning. Williams has yet to make his season debut, while Richards has been out since November 1.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been upgraded to doubtful for Tuesday’s contest vs. the Wizards, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). That’s the first time Ball has been listed as anything besides “out” since spraining his right wrist on October 28, so it appears his return isn’t far off.

Hornets’ Grant Williams Out For Season With Torn ACL, Meniscus

November 24th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

2:37pm: The Hornets have confirmed Williams’ ACL tear and say in a press release that he’ll be out indefinitely.

12:12pm: Hornets forward Grant Williams tore his ACL, meniscus and other connected ligaments in his right knee during his team’s 125-119 defeat to the Bucks on Saturday night, sources inform Shams Charania of ESPN.

Williams will miss the rest of the 2024/25 NBA season, according to Charania.

The 25-year-old was in the midst of a productive second season in Charlotte. Across his 16 healthy games this fall while playing behind starters Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, Williams averaged 10.4 points per game on .439/.365/.838 shooting splits. He also logged 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per night.

The Tennessee alum was initially selected by the Celtics with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He had some memorable moments with Boston, but was plagued by shooting inconsistency in the postseason. A bit undersized for his defensive assignments at 6’6″, Williams ultimately moved on to the Mavericks as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023. He inked a four-year, $53.3MM deal as part of a three-team sign-and-trade.

That experiment lasted just 47 games before Williams was traded again. As part of a transformative 2023/24 midseason deal, he was shipped out along with guard Seth Curry and a future first-round draft pick to the Hornets in exchange for P.J. Washington. With Washington in tow, the Mavericks marched all the way to the NBA Finals.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link), the Hornets will have the ability to file for a disabled player exception worth half Williams’ $13MM+ salary (approximately $6.5MM). However, while that exception gives teams extra cap flexibility, it doesn’t provide for an extra roster spot. Charlotte currently has all 15 standard roster spots occupied, so the team would need to create an opening to use a DPE.

At 6-10, the Hornets are currently the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference, tied by record with the Nets and Pacers. Losing Williams is a major blow to their bench depth.

Southeast Notes: Ball, G. Williams, Wagner Brothers, Butler

November 24th, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

LaMelo Ball joined Kemba Walker as the only Hornets players to reach 50 points in a game in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. At 23, Ball is the third-youngest player in NBA history to achieve that mark. He only had 10 points at halftime, but he took over after intermission, particularly in the third quarter when he repeatedly attacked the basket and posted 22 points.

“It’s just him leading the team as always, leading everybody, making everybody better, getting everybody in the right places,” Brandon Miller said. “… (It’s) a great effect. It just builds confidence for everybody to play harder. We didn’t get the win, so we are going to work toward trying to get some wins.”

Ball had a scary moment early in the second half when he crashed to the floor following a mid-air collision with Brook Lopez. However, he was eventually able to get up and continue playing. Ball’s aggressiveness was a welcome sign for coach Charles Lee, who has been encouraging his point guard to drive to the hoop more often rather than settling for outside jumpers.

“He’s been phenomenal with his offensive production so far,” Lee said. “Things that I think he can continue to grow in are just understanding time and score. Slowing down a little bit and not letting the defense speed him up and just getting the shots that he wants or that we want is an area for him that he can continue to watch film and continue to talk about.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets forward Grant Williams had to be helped off the court after an awkward fall on a drive late in Saturday’s game, Boone adds. Williams couldn’t put any weight on his right leg and needed assistance to get to the locker room. “I think it has just been diagnosed as a right knee injury,” Lee said. “We’ll continue to get some imaging and evaluations. The most important thing is all of our prayers are with Grant and we hope the news comes back as good as possible.”
In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Moritz Wagner talks about watching his brother, Franz Wagner, raise his game to the next level. Franz has been running the Magic‘s offense since Paolo Banchero was sidelined with an injury and is averaging career highs with 23.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. “An introduction to superstardom,” Moritz said. “Not to exaggerate, but I think he’s understanding his power and how good he can be.”
After being listed as questionable due to an illness, Heat forward Jimmy Butler will be available for tonight’s game against Dallas, sources tell Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Injury Notes: Morant, Embiid, Bridges, Durant, Beal, M. Jones

November 22nd, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hip) is listed as doubtful to play on Saturday vs. Chicago, but the plan is for him to get workouts in during the coming days and potentially return early on in Memphis’ four-game homestand that begins on Monday, per Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link).

As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes (via Twitter), the fact that Morant is considered doubtful for Saturday instead of being ruled out entirely suggests he’s getting closer and that a Monday return is in play.

Morant has been sidelined since November 6, but the Grizzlies have held their own in his absence, winning four of seven games. They’re 9-7 overall this season, putting them in a three-way tie with the Suns and Clippers for the No. 6 spot in the West entering Friday’s action.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from across the NBA:

The 2-12 Sixers will be down two stars on Friday vs. Brooklyn as they look to snap a five-game losing streak. Center Joel Embiid has been ruled out due to left knee injury management, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. He’ll join forward Paul George (knee bone bruise) on the sidelines, with third star Tyrese Maxey active but still on a minutes limit.
Hornets forward Miles Bridges stepped on a foot and aggravated his right knee bone bruise on Tuesday, according to the team (Twitter link). Bridges, who missed Thursday’s game, will remain on the shelf a little longer. The Hornets say he’ll be reevaluated one week after suffering the injury, which would be next Tuesday (Nov. 26).
Injured Suns stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were full participants in Friday’s practice and did 3-on-3 work, head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters, including Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The hope is that Durant and Beal – both out due to left calf strains – will be able to play 5-on-5 on Sunday and be activated for Tuesday’s game vs. the Lakers, Rankin adds.
Kings two-way guard Mason Jones sustained a right hamstring strain in a G League game on Wednesday, according to the team (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). Jones, who has seen limited action in three games for Sacramento this season, will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days.

Southeast Notes: Williams, Richards, Zeller, Coulibaly, Wizards

November 22nd, 2024 at 3:25pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Hornets‘ top two rotational centers, starter Mark Williams and his backup Nick Richards, have rejoined team activities, Charlotte announced on Thursday (Twitter link).

Williams has been sidelined for the last 11 months, first due to a back issue and now as a result of a left foot tendon strain. Richards is recovering from a right first rib fracture. Sixteenth-year veteran big man Taj Gibson has been starting in their stead.

The seven-foot Williams has battled health issues in each of his three professional seasons thus far. Last season before going down, he was averaging a career-best 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.8 steals per night.

Richards, a fifth-year Kentucky alum, had averaged a double-double (11.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG) during his five healthy games this fall.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Hawks reserve center Cody Zeller is currently not with the team, per Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com (Twitter link). The 6’11” big man has been away from Atlanta all year due to personal reasons, and is currently considered week-to-week.
The struggling Wizards are hoping that an improved emphasis on rebounding will help improve their defense, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network.
Second-year Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly was in the league’s concussion protocol this week, sources inform Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). He was inactive on Monday after getting elbowed in the mouth on Sunday. However, head coach Brian Keefe stated that Coulibaly was a “full participant” during the club’s Thursday practice, and Robbins tweets that Coulibaly is not on the Wizards’ injury report for Friday’s matchup vs. the Celtics, so it sounds like he won’t miss any additional time.

Southeast Notes: Brogdon, Bogdanovic, Bufkin, Micic

November 18th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malcolm Brogdon made his season debut on Sunday against Detroit but was limited to one point in 22 minutes, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post notes. He underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb in early October.

Brogdon was the first player off the bench for the Wizards, who acquired him in an offseason trade with Portland. The veteran guard is a candidate to be traded again before the February deadline. He’s playing on an expiring $22.5MM contract.

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Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kobe Bufkin were active for the Hawks on Monday. Bogdanovic hadn’t played since Oct. 23 due to a hamstring strain, while Bufkin was making his season debut after partially dislocating his right shoulder last month.
Vasilije Micic made just his fifth appearance of the season on Sunday, scoring nine points in 14 minutes. Micic’s playing time has dropped this season with LaMelo Ball back in action but Hornets first-year coach Charles Lee praised the Serbian guard after the game. “He can initiate the offense for us. He knows the sets very well. I thought that he actually brought some great energy (Sunday),” Lee said, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. “He’s done a really good job of preparing himself, his mind, and his body. He’s approached every day, even though he has not been in the rotation, like a true professional.”
Wizards 2023 second-round pick and two-way player Tristan Vukcevic hasn’t played for either the Wizards or their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. Coach Brian Keefe told Shankar prior to Sunday’s game the Vukcevic needs to ramp up his conditioning before returning to the court. The big man was on a standard contract last season but the team declined his team option and re-signed him on a two-way deal in July.