Adrian Wojnarowski: Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball — rookie of the year frontrunner — is expected to miss the rest of the season with a fracture to his right wrist, source tells ESPN. – via Twitter wojespn
Overall, Ball will become the fourth rookie in league history to score at least 15.9 points, grab 5.9 rebounds and dish out 6.1 assists per game. The other three are Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Carter-Williams in their rookie seasons, and Ball’s efficient 56.2 true-shooting percentage dwarfs Carter-Williams’ 48.0 mark. Really, Ball’s rookie season is in a class that very few other players have hit statistically, and he did so while actually leading Charlotte toward a surprise contention for a playoff berth. Beyond the numbers, Ball actually has an effect on winning — something teenage rookies very rarely do. The Hornets are right around .500, and they’re that good without a real answer at the center position — and while Ball is surrounded by seven other players on rookie-scale contracts who are in or have been in the rotation for stretches this year. – via Sam Vecenie @ The Athletic
Ashley Stroehlein: I’m told LaMelo Ball had a successful surgery this morning on his right wrist fracture at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. 4 weeks recovery time for the surgery and then Ball will work on rehabbing. @wcnc | #NBA | #AllFly – via Twitter
Shams Charania: Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball underwent surgery on his fractured right wrist and will be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks, leaving possibility for return this season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. – via Twitter ShamsCharania
