Hornets looking for unique ways to replace LaMelo Ball's production

The Hornets are seeking “creative” answers to their rotation with star guard LaMelo Ball out with an ankle injury, according to The Charlotte Observer’s Alex Zietlow.

“It’s hard to make up Melo’s production,” head coach Charles Lee said. “With all that he does, and he does it in such a unique way, and he’s able to sustain it for an entire game, and create so much open space and opportunities for all our guys.”

Charlotte is currently ravaged by injuries, with all of Ball, Mark Williams, Josh Green and Brandon Miller out for various injuries for different lengths of time. That led to a low offensive showing on Wednesday against the Nets, where Charlotte started Taj Gibson, Vasilije Micic and recently acquired Josh Okogie, with two-way players Moussa Diabate, KJ Simpson and Isaiah Wong all seeing extended workloads.

The goal for Charlotte now is to keep its injured players engaged with the team, per Zietlow, and to continue developing some of their younger players.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

• The Hornets could theoretically look to flip Okogie at the trade deadline after acquiring him for Nick Richards, but he’s looked like a solid fit in Charlotte in his first six games. He discussed his first impressions of Charlotte with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda. “This whole team has been good at bringing everybody in,” Okogie said. “From the outside looking in, I didn’t really know how close they were with each other, but this team jokes, laughs, and kind of does everything together so far since I’ve been here. They’ve all embraced me, and that’s made me feel comfortable already.” In his first six games, Okogie is averaging 10.3 points and shooting 42.9% from three.
• After missing 13 games with a hamstring strain, Gary Harris was upgraded to available for the Magic‘s Wednesday game against Portland, as first reported by the Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede (via Twitter). Harris played 13 minutes and scored three points.
• Don’t be surprised if the Wizards go through the trade deadline with one or both of Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon still on the roster, The Washington Post’s Varun Shankar writes. The team could find more value in their leadership than in potential second round picks if offers aren’t to their liking.
• The team continues to mentor two-way center Tristan Vukcevic, Shankar writes in the same post. Coach Brian Keefe said a team could run its offense through Vukcevic, but the Wizards want to see him become more of a defensive anchor.
• Hawks guard Trae Young ultimately wasn’t named an All-Star in the East despite averages of 22.5 points and 11.4 assists. He responded on Twitter on Thursday night. “[And] it’s no longer getting “snubbed” it’s getting “Traed” at this point,” Young posted. “Sorry to my fans.. it’ll change eventually! All right, talk soon!“