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Injury Notes: Ball, Clifford, Wesley, Dosunmu, More

November 2nd, 2025 at 2:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Barring an unexpected development, Hornets star LaMelo Ball will miss his first game of the season on Sunday, having been listed as doubtful for the matchup against Utah (Twitter links via the Hornets). Rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner may miss the game as well — he’s questionable to suit up for personal reasons.

Ball has dealt with numerous ankle injuries over the past years. The 24-year-old point guard’s injury designation is right ankle impingement.

It’s the second of a back-to-back for the Hornets, who dropped their third straight game on Saturday vs. Minnesota.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

After missing four games with a right hamstring strain, rookie wing Nique Clifford was able to return to action in Saturday’s two-point win in Milwaukee, as first reported by Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. While Clifford’s traditional stats were very modest (three rebounds and one block), the Kings outscored the Bucks by eight points during his 16 minutes on the court. Veteran guard Malik Monk (personal reasons) missed the game, tweets Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento.
Trail Blazers guard Blake Wesley was forced out of Friday’s win over Denver after sustaining a right foot injury, the team announced (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Wesley, an offseason free agent addition, will miss additional time as a result of the injury. Third-year wing Kris Murray saw a significant uptick in playing time with Matisse Thybulle (thumb surgery) and Wesley out.
Ayo Dosunmu is off to a terrific start this season, averaging 16.2 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds on .577/.476/.846 shooting through five games (26.2 minutes per contest). Unfortunately, the Bulls guard suffered a left quad contusion in Friday’s victory against the Knicks and is questionable for Sunday’s rematch in New York, as Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic relays (via Twitter). Dosunmu is playing on an expiring $7.5MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 unless he signs a veteran extension.

Southeast Notes: Bane, Penda, Ball, Young

November 1st, 2025 at 5:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

Desmond Bane‘s three-point shot isn’t falling so far this season, but the Magic guard remains confident that it will come around soon, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Bane was acquired from Memphis over the summer to improve the team’s outside shooting, but he’s only connecting at 25% from beyond the arc while taking 4.7 per game, which is the lowest total since his rookie season. It’s a small sample size and Bane was a career 41% three-point shooter with the Grizzlies, so he isn’t worried.

“It’ll come,” he said. “I’ve had multiple stretches like that. It’s basketball. Some nights you get a ton and some nights you get a few.”

Beede notes that Bane hasn’t been getting the open looks that he’s used to since joining the Magic. Defenses are playing him tightly at the three-point line, and he has responded by driving more often and finding open teammates, which led to seven assists in Friday’s victory at Charlotte.

However, the Magic don’t have many accomplished three-point shooters and they’ll eventually need Bane to fill that role.

“He’s one of those guys that he’s such a threat on the three-point line that he’s able to get downhill, but, in my opinion, one of the reasons we got him was because of his three-point shooting,” Wendell Carter Jr. said. “We’ve got to find ways to get him cleaner, easier looks, instead of off the dribble, even though he can do both.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

After not being used in the first three games, rookie forward Noah Penda is increasing his role in the Magic‘s rotation and played 17 minutes on Friday, Beede adds in the same story. “We’ve thrown him in different situations and one thing about him is he can guard multiple positions,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “He’s not afraid of the moment and does a great job crashing the glass. He’s doing all of the things that we’re asking him to do when he steps on the floor.”
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will play tonight against Minnesota after being listed on the injury report with a right ankle impingement, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). In his pregame press conference, coach Charles Lee talked about the importance of Ball staying healthy after missing 60 and 35 games the past two seasons (Twitter video link).
The Hawks haven’t provided an update on Trae Young, who suffered a sprained right knee on Wednesday. Young didn’t play Friday night and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game at Cleveland, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks.

LaMelo Ball Fined $35K By NBA

October 30th, 2025 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $35K by the NBA for making an obscene gesture during the team’s loss to the Heat in Miami on Tuesday, the league announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

The incident occurred with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s blowout victory. Ball attempted to drive into the lane while being defended by Heat guard Davion Mitchell and was called for a charging foul as he went up for a shot.

After the whistle, the Hornets guard quickly shot a middle finger toward the official who made the foul call (Twitter video link). Ball was hit with a technical foul on top of the charging violation.

The fine is a drop in the bucket for Ball, who is earning a salary of $37,958,760 this season on his maximum-salary contract. Through four games, he’s averaging 26.3 points, 9.5 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per night, along with a 39.5% mark on three-point attempts. All of those figures would be career highs.

Hornets’ Collin Sexton Discusses Leadership, Contract, More

October 19th, 2025 at 11:17am CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard Collin Sexton has quickly emerged as a leader for a young Hornets team, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Both the Hornets and Sexton are trying to create a winning culture in Charlotte, and head coach Charles Lee appreciates the 26-year-old’s willingness to speak up.

“Yeah, he’s not afraid to just communicate,” Lee said. “I think, number one, everyone sees how hard he works every day, and so he’s already leading by example. And then so when he does want to speak up, because he’s so passionate and competitive, he’s earned their respect. So, he’s able to just be very vocal, very upfront with them. And they all know that it’s from a place of love, it’s from a place of competitive joy and that they’re really responsive.

“I think that our whole group, though, is learning how to communicate with one another in a positive way to kind of help us just keep moving in the right direction. So, I love what he’s done. He’s really helped bring a little bit more intensity to sometimes that starting unit. Especially on the defensive end where he sets a tone on the primary ball-handler and allows the other guys to kind of follow suit.”

Sexton, who was acquired over the summer in a trade with Utah, says leadership is something that comes naturally to him, according to Boone.

“I would say since I got here, I always try not to say I’m trying to fit in — just got to continue to be me,” Sexton said. “I feel like that’s the biggest thing. Continue to be me and continue to walk with confidence. And confidence brings leadership. At the end of the day, leading by example is something that I’ve done since coming into the league and even in college and through high school.

“So I feel like that’s something that I felt like that was a need of the team, and I felt like that was a way I can come in and impact right away is bring leadership and bring those qualities, because at the end of day when things are going south and things aren’t going well, we got to have someone that can bring the guys back together. And I feel like that’s something that I can do.”

Sexton is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him nearly $19MM in 2025/26. While that could be a potential distraction, Sexton tells Boone he’s focused on being present.

“I would say controlling each and every day, coming out here and being grateful and being thankful to be able to lace my shoes up, be able to go out and play with this organization,” Sexton said. “At the end of the day, I’ve got to be where my feet are. I can’t look two weeks in advance, I can’t look two months in advance. I have to take it day-by-day. That’s it. It’s not tough because I’m grounded by faith. I’m grounded by the Lord, and I know my family is behind me. And I feel like when I’m grounded by those two things, then there’s nothing impossible.”

Sexton also spoke to Boone about playing with LaMelo Ball, bonding with Ball and Brandon Miller, and more. The full interview is worth checking out if you’re a fan of Sexton and/or the Hornets.

Hornets Notes: Miller, Knueppel, Lee, Mann, Dinwiddie, Lineup

September 29th, 2025 at 12:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Brandon Miller is healthy and will participate in training camp, Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said on Monday, according to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Miller’s 2024/25 campaign was cut short by wrist surgery performed in January.

There’s no timetable regarding the injury status of Grant Williams and Josh Green, Peterson added. Both players are expected to miss all of training camp. Green underwent left shoulder surgery in June, while Williams tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee last November.

We have more on the Hornets from Boone:

LaMelo Ball was caught off guard by rookie Kon Knueppel‘s athleticism, particularly his hops (Twitter link). “I’m not going to lie. I’m going to go with the bounce,” he said. “For real. I didn’t know he could jump like that. He’s even caught a few little dunks. I’m like, ‘Hold up, I’ve seen ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ at the end and he’s been kind of jumping like that the whole day, though. Solid.”
Hornets head coach Charles Lee indicated the system and offensive strategy has been tweaked so they can play faster this season. He added he’s more prepared now than he was in his first year on the job (Twitter link).
Tre Mann re-signed with the team on a three-year, $24MM contract. He missed most of last season due to a back injury but started to feel back to normal in April. “I’m grateful to be healthy,” he said. (Twitter video link).
Journeyman guard Spencer Dinwiddie signed a one-year deal in July as a free agent. He believes the team has the talent to end its postseason drought. “Being able to help a team possibly trying to make the playoffs is an exciting opportunity and another challenge in my career,” he said. (video link).
Ball, Miller and Miles Bridges are starting lineup locks. Who fills the other spots? According to Boone, Sexton could be the person sliding into the shooting guard spot. Starting him would allow Lee to moved him to point guard when Ball goes to the bench in the opening quarter. At center, Lee could play the matchup game. Veteran Mason Plumlee appears to be the favorite to snag that spot, backed up by Moussa Diabate and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner.

Hornets’ Josh Green, Grant Williams To Miss Training Camp

September 20th, 2025 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Hornets wing Josh Green and forward Grant Williams will both miss training camp as they continue to recover from their respective injuries, head coach Charles Lee recently told reporters, including Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Green underwent left shoulder surgery in June, while Williams tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee last November.

According to Boone, Lee said both players are making progress, but neither has a specific timeline to return, though Williams is apparently a little further along in his recovery.

Given that Green and Williams miss training camp, which begins September 30, it’s possible neither player will be active for Charlotte’s regular season opener on Oct. 22.

Here are few more items of interest from Boone’s story:

In addition to making on-court strides this offseason, Brandon Miller has also impressed Lee by becoming a vocal leader, Boone writes. In particular, Miller has been mentoring fellow 2023 first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. Miller is another Hornet whose ’24/25 season was cut short — he underwent right wrist surgery in January. He said in late July the wrist was close to fully healed.
Lee wants LaMelo Ball to become a locker-room leader as well and thinks trade addition Collin Sexton will help with that, per Boone. While Lee said Ball has made strides on defense, he still wants the team’s highest-paid player to be more consistent on that end of the court.
Each of Charlotte’s 2025 draft picks — Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner — will receive minutes during the preseason, according to Lee, who thinks big man Kalkbrenner could eventually have a career similar to Brook Lopez.

Hornets’ Grant Williams Talks Rehab, Offseason, Rookies, LaMelo, More

August 6th, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Hornets forward Grant Williams continues to rehabilitate from the major knee injury he suffered in November 2024, which included tears of his right ACL and meniscus.

In a conversation with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, the 6’6″ Tennessee alum detailed his recovery while allowing that he isn’t fully healed just yet. He is not yet taking contact in his workouts.

“I feel great, physically just taking it one day at a time,” Williams told Boone. “Rehab is a pretty slow process. There can be good days and bad days, but fortunately, I’m in a position now where I’m getting back on the court in some capacity. Not necessarily there for contact yet, but in terms of (being) able to perform and work out, that’s something I think brings serenity — shooting the ball well, talk trash. So I’m trying to still find better shooters in the gym to compete against.”

Williams added that the Hornets are exercising plenty of patience as he works his way back to full health.

“They are not rushing me back,” Williams said. “They understand that there might be a little bit of time for me to get back and get my feet wet into the game. So, I’m thankful for not only the opportunity to have that freedom to come back and get comfortable and be myself again, but also for me, it’s a matter of making sure I can play for a long time, the health and longevity of my career to make sure I can help this team compete at a high level for a long couple of years.”

During his 16 healthy games for Charlotte in 2024/25, the 26-year-old averaged 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per night, with a shooting line of .439/.365/.838. He’s currently entering the third season of the four-year, fully guaranteed $53.3MM contract he signed in 2023.

While Williams could be a trade candidate by the 2026 deadline, he’ll likely need to prove he’s healthy and can still be a solid two-way contributor at around his former level in order to have real value as a trade chip.

Here are a few highlights from Williams’ conversation with Boone, which is well worth reading in full:

On the Hornets’ veteran offseason acquisitions:

“I feel like we got a lot more athletic, we added a lot more depth in terms of not only just top to bottom but position by position. We’ve got a lot more guards, a lot more scoring potential, a lot more fast play potential, We have bigs like Mason (Plumlee) and Moussa (Diabate) that can really run the floor. We have a guy like Ryan (Kalkbrenner) that can really protect the paint, also space the floor. I’ve seen him shoot it and he shoots it well. So, it’s just super exciting to have that versatility, in terms of the team.”

“And then in terms of the wings and guard play, we have so much more potency. We have Collin Sexton, Tre Mann, Josh Green when he gets healthy, myself when I get healthy. You have Miles (Bridges), Kon (Knueppel). Geez, you could go down the line with a lot of names that we can add, so we are just super excited not only about the scoring potential but the ability to compete at a high level every single night even when guys are out.”

On this year’s crop of Charlotte rookies:

“They honestly are some great individuals. They are very, very welcoming. They are very goofy also, I would say, but also they are young so they are fresh behind the ears. They don’t really know what’s coming, so just being able to communicate to them what to expect and what we want as an organization want to establish, in terms of our crucial pillars and how we want to play, how we want to communicate with one another. And really they’ve just been with open ears and been very, very open. They haven’t really shut anything down and I think they are approaching everything with the right approach going into the season.”

On All-Star guard LaMelo Ball‘s leadership:

“He’s doing a lot of things that bring value. Not only his voice, but just his approach. He’s in there every single day. He’s there and present and I think is somebody we can look to and see like, ‘He’s actually putting the work in every single day, not this person who is away from us and claims to be doing the work.’ No, he’s doing it every single day. He’s doing every single workout, he’s being available.”

On second-year head coach Charles Lee’s approach:

“He understands that it’s got to come down to the team. It’s not one person and understanding the value of having every person — from the top guy to the 17th, 18th guy on the roster. Each person is important, and he treats everybody as that and he treats them (that way) to not only bring out the best out of you, but bring the best out of the group. And I think that’s what comes from that team-first mentality, is understanding that even if it might not be your night that night, that doesn’t mean we lost any confidence in you.”

Hornets Forward Brandon Miller Says Wrist Is Nearly Healed

July 28th, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Brandon Miller said his surgically-repaired right wrist is “probably around 90-95 percent now” and declared he’ll be ready to play when next season begins, Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer reports.

Miller underwent surgery to repair the torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist in late January.

The No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Miller was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 2023/24 after a debut season which saw him finish third in Rookie of the Year balloting.

He was having a solid second season as well, improving his counting stats in several categories, including points (21.1), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.6), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.7) per game. Miller posted a .403/.355/.861 shooting slash line in 27 appearances (34.2 minutes).

“Playing (27) games, that was the hardest thing of my career right there,” he told Wertz. “Just watching basketball the whole season. My goal is always to play every game and play 110% in every game.”

Miller has started contact drills after the lengthy process of waiting for the wrist to heal. He knew he could ramp up when he was able to shoot without any pain.

“I’m just excited to get back out on the court with my guys,” he said, adding “not everything’s going to be a smooth route. You’re going to have ups and downs, a lot of bumps and curves.”

Miller is hopeful that he and oft-injured point guard LaMelo Ball can stay healthy and turn around the franchise’s fortunes.

“It’s always the main thing, you know, just keeping our bodies together. We know it’s a long season. Having us two on the floor can make the big difference (in having) a winning team,” Miller said.

The Hornets won the Summer League title in Las Vegas and Miller is looking forward to playing with first-round picks Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley.

“They are going to bring space, a lot of space, with their shooting ability. I feel like that’s going to help us in the long run,” Miller said. “Their confidence is going to be the biggest thing, you know, coming into this league, just building their confidence early.”

Eastern Notes: Sexton, Holland, Anthony, Embiid, Bassey

July 17th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Luke Adams

In a wide-ranging interview with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required), Hornets head coach Charles Lee spoke about the offseason additions to the roster, why he’s comfortable with the team’s frontcourt options, and how he expects LaMelo Ball to take another step forward as a leader next season, among other topics.

Discussing newly acquired veteran guard Collin Sexton, Lee suggested that the 26-year-old’s “fearlessness” and “competitiveness” are traits that stand out and joked that he’ll be expecting different treatment from Sexton during games now that they’re on the same side.

“From afar, he was very competitive. At times he would stare me down during games as the opposing coach or scout coach, and he’s always looking for some fuel to get him going,” Lee said. “So, when he first got here, I made sure to remind them of that, ‘Like, don’t be looking at me crazy like that anymore or your minutes are going to suffer now.’ But it’s great. I’m so glad to have him on our side.

“… I already appreciate so much of what he’s kind of giving to our group,” Lee continued. “Seeing him do group workouts with Melo, them having conversations, I just think is really important for our group to continue to grow. And he’s going to be a big part of that with his work ethic and then also with his competitiveness.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

While Ron Holland has been impressive all around for the Pistons during Summer League play, with averages of 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals per game in three outings, his three-point shooting has perhaps been the most encouraging part of his performance, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). It’s a small sample, but Holland has knocked down 7-of-15 threes (46.7%) after making just 23.8% as a rookie. “I feel like me and Freddie V have been in the gym, for sure,” Holland said on Sunday, referring to Pistons assistant coach and shooting guru Fred Vinson. “There’s no secret behind that.” Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) also weighs in on Holland’s strong Summer League play, suggesting that the Pistons should be very encouraged by what he has shown.
Cole Anthony‘s new one-year contract with the Bucks is worth the veteran’s minimum, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Anthony will earn $2,667,947 on the deal, while Milwaukee carries a cap hit of $2,296,274.
In a fascinating, in-depth feature, Dotun Akintoye of ESPN gets some candid comments out of Sixers star Joel Embiid, who discussed the media narratives that have followed him around, his altercation with local columnist Marcus Hayes, and his (successful) quest to find out who leaked details about a team meeting last fall, among many other topics.
Big man Charles Bassey has left the Celtics‘ Summer League team, as Souichi Terada of MassLive.com relays. Bassey’s deal with Boston only covered three games in Las Vegas, as he had other summer commitments. The former San Antonio center – who doesn’t yet have a contract in place for 2025/26 – performed well in Vegas, averaging a double-double (15.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG) and shooting 70.4% from the field.

Hornets’ Charles Lee ‘Excited’ About Offseason

May 20th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Charles Lee‘s first year as the Hornets‘ head coach didn’t play out as he hoped. The team extended its NBA-leading playoff drought to nine consecutive seasons and posted its worst record (19-63) since going 7-59 as the Bobcats in 2011/12. However, Lee tells Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer that he remains confident in a brighter future in Charlotte.

“I’m excited about our offseason,” Lee said. “We have clarity with our (lottery) pick. I think that our team is in a much better spot this year than we were last year. There’s also clarity with who the coach is and what’s expected of you in the offseason. So, I think that we’ve laid out a great schedule for our guys to just continue to get better. We’ve created a great environment for these guys to be able to come in and work, and be around each other, our staff, and just to try to build some more winning habits.”

A report in March indicated that rival teams believe it could be an active offseason for the Hornets, and I noted in my offseason preview on Monday that there likely won’t be many players on the roster who are totally off the table in trade conversations.

Veteran forward Miles Bridges, who was said to be a trade candidate prior to February’s deadline, is one player whose name could resurface in rumors this summer. However, he plans on sticking around the Charlotte area more than he typically would and organizing voluntary workouts for teammates, Boone writes.

“I love that Miles wants to spearhead that,” Lee said. “I think a big part of any type of culture or organization is your best players kind of driving things forward. And him being the leader and wanting to make sure he puts all the guys together in order to work and in order to grow and to learn from one another, I think it’s really important. And he’s kind of set a tone from last year and he wants to continue that ball rolling forward in terms of what work ethic looks like, what professional habits looks like.”

A pair of Hornets point guards, LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann, will also be worth watching closely this offseason. Both players are coming off season-ending injuries – ankle and wrist surgeries for Ball and a back issue for Mann – and Ball has been the subject of trade speculation, while Mann is eligible for restricted free agency.

Lee spoke to Boone as if he expected Ball to be back in Charlotte and said the star guard’s recovery is progressing well. He also said that Mann is making “really good progress” as he makes his way back from his back injury and spoke enthusiastically about the idea of the club re-signing the four-year veteran.

“Tre, he’s a phenomenal player, even better teammate and person,” Lee told The Observer. “And so when you don’t have a guy who can fill it up on the board, can guard, who’s competitive, can make life easier for Melo, and Miles, and Brandon (Miller), and Mark (Williams) or whoever is out there on the court, he’s just such a great talent. So, to miss him to out there and his skill set was definitely unfortunate.

“But also, to just have him around on the court, vocally or at practice or teaching guys — because he does have such a high basketball IQ. But, yeah, I think he brings so much value. It’ll be nice to have him back in the mix hopefully next year.”