The Charlotte Hornets kick off their 2024-25 season campaign on the wrong foot. In the last few seasons, the Hornets and injuries have become almost synonymous. Especially LaMelo Ball, the team’s centerpiece, is yet to play a full season in his career. Right when fans anticipated the star point guard’s return from a season-ending ankle injury, the management dropped a shocking injury report ahead of the training camp.

The Hornets’ official X handle reported that the team’s center Mark Williams had suffered a strained tendon in his left foot during an offseason workout. And, the key defensive unit may be out of action for weeks. With only a few weeks left for the season opener, the Buzz City certainly has something to worry about.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported that the team will re-evaluate Williams in two weeks. While it seems like the 7 ‘0 baller would return to the floor before the start of the regular season, he would miss the four-day training camp on Tuesday. Notably, the team has scheduled their training at Williams’ alma mater, Duke University.

On the other hand, the 22-year-old big man already had a shaky start to his career. Coming into the league as the 15th overall pick in 2022, Mark Williams played 43 games, averaging 9.0 points. Although he took his services to the G-League for the majority of the rookie season, Williams constantly struggled with ankle injuries. In the following season, things went further downhill after he suffered a lower back contusion, restricting him to only 19 games in his sophomore year.

Importantly, with only two seasons in his career, Williams has already attracted three major injuries, putting his career trajectory into question. Last season, 26-year-old Nick Richards replaced Williams as the starting center and put up a decent show, averaging 9.7 ppg and 8.0 rpg. Interestingly, the latest trade rumors suggest that the NY Knicks have their eyes set on Richards amid Mitchell Robinson’s injury absence.

Mark Williams brushed off the “injury-prone” label

Depending upon the severity of the injury, Mark Williams might take a few weeks to two months before returning to the court. However, the team is looking to re-evaluate the big man in two weeks, which is indeed a positive sign. On the other hand, Williams has another battle to handle. It’s the image battle. It’s so easy to get labeled as an ‘injury-prone player’ in the NBA world. And, in the Hornets big man’s case, he had a season-ending injury very early in his career.

Speaking of the noise surrounding his injuries, Williams addressed the press earlier this year. He added, “I know hurting your back as a big guy, you always get that label. So, in the future, I don’t want that to be a label for me. I’m not a guy that likes to sit out.” Unfortunately, before he could get back on the court, recovering from the back injury, he had yet another injury to overcome.

On the other hand, LaMelo Ball, who missed the entire season after just playing 22 games, is expected to return to the fold for the upcoming season. If the star point guard again struggles to keep himself healthy throughout the entire season, then the Hornets may have to look into their trade options. Will the Charlotte side have a healthy roster before the start of the season? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.