CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Head coach Charles Lee left little doubt about his offseason expectations from Charlotte Hornets cornerstone level guard LaMelo Ball.
“He is obtained to get stronger,” Lee mentioned Monday following the workforce’s exit interviews.
Opposing groups repeatedly stepped up their defensive strain on Ball this season, attempting to get the 6-foot-7, 190-pounder off his recreation by being additional bodily and utilizing hand and physique checks on the perimeter and bodying him up on the best way to the basket. On the opposite aspect of the ball, opponents would typically go proper after Ball, assault him off the dribble and again him down within the lane, forcing him to defend.
Early within the season, Ball struggled to remain out of foul bother and even fouled out of some video games, however his protection improved because the season progressed.
“Groups are attempting to disclaim him, attempting to be bodily, and you’ll see early within the 12 months when groups did it, it undoubtedly bothered him,” Lee mentioned. “As he obtained used to it, he obtained much more comfy, so it’ll begin together with his physique. He is obtained to get stronger and extra conditioned to have the ability to play each side of the ball and maintain efforts. … If you’re among the finest gamers within the league, it’s important to be prepared for physicality. So as to fight that, it’s important to be stronger.”
Lee wouldn’t say how a lot weight – or muscle – he desires Ball to placed on, saying that’s as much as the workforce’s conditioning employees.
Ball expressed a willingness to hear.
“I undoubtedly agree,” Ball mentioned. “Simply being within the weight room, and all the things they’re saying.”
It is no secret the Hornets want Ball on the ground. He averaged a career-high 25.2 factors this season, together with 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds per recreation, and he’s able to heating up at any level within the recreation and making some ridiculous 3-pointers off one foot.
The issue all through Ball’s 5 NBA seasons has been his incapacity to keep away from accidents. He is performed in simply 56% of the franchise’s 410 video games over the past 5 seasons due to persistent accidents, most involving ankles and toes. Ball’s final three seasons have all resulted in surgical procedures.
Ball hasn’t come near reaching the 75 video games he performed within the 2021-22 season, when he made his solely look within the NBA All-Star recreation.
Hornets basic supervisor Jeff Peterson views it as progress that Ball performed in 47 video games this season, after seeing in motion in simply 36 and 22 the earlier two years.
“Is it the place we wish it to be? No. Is it the place he desires it to be? No. LaMelo is an unimaginable competitor, and he is aware of that to ensure that us to have the most effective likelihood to win and get to the place we wish to go, he must be on the ground,” Peterson mentioned. “We’re offering each useful resource, and once more, he is placing the time in and taking possession in it. We’re pleased the season is over in that regard and he is in a position to ramp up and have a wholesome begin to the season subsequent 12 months.”
Peterson mentioned Ball will “completely” be prepared for coaching camp and subsequent season following surgical procedure on his proper ankle and proper wrist.
“LaMelo, he could be nearly as good as he desires to be, and we have seen that,” Peterson mentioned. “He is performed at an All-Star caliber degree. I informed him this the opposite day that I have been lucky, and Charles has to, to be round some nice gamers on this league, and LaMelo could be very distinctive and does some issues that nobody else can do, fairly frankly.”
