Is LaMelo Ball playing tonight against the Washington Wizards? Latest update from Charlotte Hornets (Oct. 12)

LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets will hope to land the first sting when they face off against the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena on Thursday (October 12).

They opened their preseason with a 113-109 loss to the Miami Heat. With two more games to go following their contest against the Wizards, Charlotte will look to register a couple of wins before starting their regular season.

The focus in their first game was on Ball, who returned to action with 17 points, two rebounds and seven assists in 22 minutes of action. Despite Ball's exploits, the Hornets fell short against Miami.

As far as lacing up for the Wizards skirmish, expect the point guard to play another 20+ minute outing again as he looks to work himself back to shape. LaMelo Ball and the young Hornets unit will look to have a few more wins before starting their 82-game 2023-24 season.

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LaMelo Ball will be expected to lead the Charlotte Hornets to the playoffs

The Charlotte Hornets had a disappointing campaign last season, finishing with a 27-55 record and 14th in the East. Moreover, an ankle injury to LaMelo Ball further compounded their woes, as he played just 36 games, averaging 23.3 points, 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds.

There's no doubt that Ball is a precocious talent, and the franchise believes in his abilities. They signed him to a $260 million max contract earlier this year, which means the pressure will be on the young guard to lead the Hornets to the playoffs after failing to get there for seven seasons.

The biggest question for the Hornets will be Ball's health, though. While they have shaped up a roster that can complement Ball, the question is whether he can play enough games to increase the team's chances of winning. In Alabama forward and the No. 2 overall pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, Brandon Miller, Charlotte has another potential-filled star, but how he fares remains to be seen.

LaMelo Ball will officially be the franchise cornerstone now after the Supermax deal. He will be gunning for an MVP season, and that would mean consistency and wins against more experienced and challenging teams.

The Hornets open their regular season against the Atlanta Hawks, but before that, they play the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Boston Celtics in their final two preseason skirmishes.