Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, LaMelo Ball underwent surgery on his fractured right wrist on Tuesday and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The recovery period leaves open the possibility of Ball returning before the end of the regular season, going against the original belief that he would be out for the rest of the season.
NBC Charlotte’s Ashley Stroehlein first reported on the news of Ball’s surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, which ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski originally reported he would visit. Ball’s four-week recovery time does not include rehab, which would lengthen his return time.
Ball suffered the fracture during the second quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. After initially being listed as probable, an MRI on Ball’s wrist determined he had suffered a fracture and would require surgery.
A four-week recovery would set Ball to return around April 20 with 15 games left in the Hornets season. A rehab would cut into those potential games but, should the Hornets make the playoffs, Ball would have an extended amount of time to return.
