The Hornets’ lineup featured an unexpected change on Thursday evening as they hosted the Indiana Pacers at Spectrum Center. Instead of LaMelo Ball in his usual starting spot, Collin Sexton was in his place. Curiously, Ball wasn’t on the injury report, either.
It turns out that LaMelo actually came off the bench for the first time this season. As revealed by Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, it’s part of a new health and conditioning plan designed to enable good play and protect his health during crowded portions of the schedule.
Going forward, LaMelo will be giving up his position as a starter in half of all back-to-back games so he can be more available in the fourth quarter. The idea is to backload LaMelo’s minutes so that he can feel fresh during crunch time. While the approach has not gone over well with fans, coach Charles Lee is confident that it’s the best thing for his team.
Against the Pacers tonight, who have lost 13 straight, Charlotte saw an opportunity to test their new plan, and the early results weren’t great. Sans LaMelo in those crucial early minutes, the Hornets were outscored 33-30 in the first quarter, with Sexton (the temporary starter) sitting at just two points.
Win or lose tonight, LaMelo’s benching (while conditional) could have massive implications for the Hornets. After so many years of irrelevance, LaMelo is their first star player since Kemba Walker, and it’s rare for someone of his status to be coming off the bench in his prime.
Through 27 games this season, the 24-year-old guard is averaging 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 40.8% shooting and 36.4% shooting from three. Alongside Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Ball has led the Hornets to a respectable season that has them just four games out of the play-in (12-24).
Ahead of February’s deadline, Ball’s name has been included in countless rumors, and some believe that he and the Hornets are better off without each other. For now, however, Charlotte remains committed to their franchise guard, even if they’re still figuring out how to best manage his workload over a long NBA season.
Either way, for a Hornets squad very much on the rise in the East, Ball’s availability will be a major storyline for the rest of the season. At his best, he has the talent to elevate this club to another level in the East, but if the Hornets keep messing with his routine, things could turn sour very quickly.
