The value of a LaMelo Ball, Malik Monk return: ‘We’re going to be a problem to guard’

Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk are healed and practicing. Their return to games looks imminent.

Ball (wrist fracture) and Monk (ankle sprain) are listed as questionable for Saturday’s home game against the Detroit Pistons. While coach James Borrego will work both players back slowly, he anticipates a major impact over the last 10 games of the regular season.

“We’re much more dynamic now,” Borrego said following Friday practice. “We were dynamic before, and we’ve got a little bit back hopefully...

“We’re going to be a problem to guard if we get this thing right.”

Ball, the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year, has been out since a hard fall March 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Monk suffered that ankle sprain in an April 1 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The Hornets are still without small forward Gordon Hayward, who sprained his right foot April 2.

Those three are among the Hornets’ most skilled offensive players, combining to average about 49 points and 12 assists this season. The Hornets went 10-11 since Ball’s injury.

Borrego says if there’s any consolation to this long span without key players, it’s been the growth of others, particularly Miles Bridges, P.J. Washington and Terry Rozier. Borrego believes as Ball and Monk work back into the rotation, the Hornets will have a broader spectrum of offensive options.

They’d better, because the stakes are big. The Hornets are trying to end a five-season streak without a playoff appearance. They are 30-32 with the eighth-best record in the Eastern Conference. They’ll likely have to advance through a play-in tournament for one of the last two playoff seeds in the East.

Ball, Monk need a transition period

Borrego said he can’t expect Ball and Monk to immediately be ready for big minutes. Ball averaged 28.6 minutes before his injury. Monk averaged 21.7 off the bench.

While Borrego was “very encouraged” by what he saw in practice Friday, he needs to proceed patiently in consultation with the Hornets’ medical staff

“We’re not going to run them major minutes early on,” Borrego said. “Their early runs won’t be heavy runs -- four- or five-minute runs. When we do get either or both of them back, we’ll ease them in.”

Ball broke his right wrist, which is his dominant hand. Being a point guard, his fine motor skills are extra important to his performance. Ball became the dominant player in his rookie class (East Rookie of the Month for January, February and March) for his daring drives and look-ahead passes.

Ball said in an April 20 interview that he was shocked an MRI showed a fracture in his wrist.

“I never thought it was what it was,” Ball said. “I thought it was a sprain — nothing too big — so I’d finish out the game. Probably ice it after the game and be cool for the next one. It started irritating more and more.”

Monk has been a go-to scorer off Charlotte’s bench, so his ability to cut without the ball and to change direction off the dribble are big factors in his scoring ability.

“It was terrible getting through it,” Monk said of the month he needed to heal. “It’s feeling way better...I was able to make cuts” in practice.

Not just healed, but effective again

The final call on Ball’s and Monk’s availability will come in pre-game warmups for Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against the Pistons at Spectrum Center. Borrego said he saw nothing Friday that felt like a red flag.

“Making sure that they’re not favoring anything, that their conditioning is up to playing in an NBA game,” Borrego said of what he monitored. “It’s a little bit of gut feel, a little bit of observation, communicating with them to make sure that they’re comfortable to get out there and play. And trusting our medical group. It’s a collective decision.”

The Hornets play five games in the next seven days and 10 in the next 16 with abundant stakes. While cautious about protecting Ball’s and Monk’s health, it’s clear Borrego is thrilled about their return.

“I look for these 10 games,” Borrego said, “to be our best of the season.”