CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Head coach Charles Lee left no doubt about his offseason expectations from Charlotte Hornets cornerstone point guard LaMelo Ball.
"He's got to get stronger," Lee said Monday following the team's exit interviews.
Opposing teams regularly stepped up their defensive pressure on Ball this season, trying to get the 6-foot-7, 190-pounder off his game by being extra physical and using hand and body checks on the perimeter and bodying him up on the way to the basket. On the other side of the ball, opponents would often go right after Ball, attack him off the dribble and back him down in the lane, forcing him to defend.
Early in the season, Ball struggled to stay out of foul trouble and even fouled out of some games, but his defense improved as the season progressed.
"Teams are trying to deny him, trying to be physical, and you can see early in the year when teams did it, it definitely bothered him," Lee said. "As he got used to it, he got a lot more comfortable, so it's going to start with his body. He's got to get stronger and more conditioned to be able to play both sides of the ball and sustain efforts. ... When you're one of the best players in the league, you have to be ready for physicality. In order to combat that, you have to be stronger."
Lee would not say how much weight — or muscle — he wants Ball to put on, saying that is up to the team's conditioning staff.
Ball expressed a willingness to listen.
"I definitely agree," Ball said. "Just being in the weight room, and everything they're saying."
It's no secret the Hornets need Ball on the floor. He averaged a career-high 25.2 points this season, along with 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, and he is capable of heating up at any point in the game and making some ridiculous 3-pointers off one foot.
The problem throughout Ball's five NBA seasons has been his inability to avoid injuries. He's played in just 56% of the franchise's 410 games over the last five seasons because of persistent injuries, most involving ankles and feet. Ball's last three seasons have all ended in surgeries.
Ball hasn't come close to reaching the 75 games he played in the 2021-22 season, when he made his only appearance in the NBA All-Star game.
Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson views it as progress that Ball played in 47 games this season, after seeing in action in just 36 and 22 the previous two years.
"Is it where we want it to be? No. Is it where he wants it to be? No. LaMelo is an incredible competitor, and he knows that in order for us to have the best chance to win and get to where we want to go, he has to be on the floor," Peterson said. "We're providing every resource, and again, he's putting the time in and taking ownership in it. We're happy the season is over in that regard and he's able to ramp up and have a healthy start to the season next year."
Peterson said Ball will "absolutely" be ready for training camp and next season following surgery on his right ankle and right wrist.
"LaMelo, he can be as good as he wants to be, and we've seen that," Peterson said. "He's played at an All-Star caliber level. I told him this the other day that I've been fortunate, and Charles has to, to be around some great players in this league, and LaMelo is very unique and does some things that no one else can do, quite frankly."
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