NBA to review controversial LaMelo Ball-Bam Adebayo play

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

NBA to review controversial LaMelo Ball-Bam Adebayo play; ruling could impact Hornets' chances in second play-in game

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 15, 2026 3:25 PM ET

The NBA is reportedly considering whether it should punish Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball for tripping Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo during Tuesday night's play-in game.

Ball grabbed Adebayo's left ankle after a blocked shot during the second quarter of Charlotte's 127-126 overtime win over Miami. The 6-foot-9, 260-pound center then fell on his back and exited. The NBA is now set to review the apparent trip and will make a ruling before the Hornets' second play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers or Orlando Magic on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime), per Chris Haynes of Prime Sports and NBA TV.

Will LaMelo Ball be suspended for Friday's game if punished?

No foul was called during the game, so the play was unreviewable. The league, however, could suspend Ball if it feels the sequence merits one.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra's reaction may factor into the decision. He said the guard should've been ejected during his postgame news conference.

Sources: NBA to review Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball for taking out ankle of Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo in 2nd Q, resulting in hard spill and back injury that cost him rest of crucial do-or-die play-in contest. Ruling expected before Hornets’ final play-in bout on Friday. pic.twitter.com/o6z9FwFziA
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 15, 2026

"I don't think it's cute. I don't think it's funny. I think it's a stupid play," the coach said. "It's a dangerous play. ...He should be penalized for that. I don't think that belongs in the game, tripping guys. He should've been thrown out of the game for that."

Ball, meanwhile, insisted the play was an accident.

"I apologize on that one," he told the media. "I got hit in the head. I didn't really know where I was, but I'm going to check [on Adebayo] and see if he's OK and everything."

How a potential suspension impacts Hornets

Regardless of who the Hornets play next, Ball's absence would be a huge loss for the team. In the victory over Miami, the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year scored a team-high 30 points on 12-of-31 shooting from the field.

Even more concerning for Charlotte is that rookie guard Kon Knueppel seemed to be suffering from jitters in his first postseason game. He scored just six points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field and went 0-of-6 from three.

The Hornets hope the NBA isn't leaning toward a suspension. Without Ball, Charlotte's chances of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season would diminish.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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