Fan favorite LaMelo Ball is out for the remainder of the season so he can have procedures to clean up nagging issues with his ankles and wrist, the team announced Friday.

Ball had played through pain in recent weeks, according to reports, but with the Hornets more focused on the lottery than winning games, the smart play is to shut their leading scorer down. Charlotte currently has the third-worst record in the league (18-54), and the three worst teams each have a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick, however for the team with the fourth-worst record that falls to 12.5% (and the risk of falling further down in the lottery increases, too).

Ball averaged 25.2 points and 7.4 assists a game this season for the Hornets. He was the leading fan vote getter among Eastern Conference players, although he did not make the All-Star team (he was not a starter due to the player and media votes, then the coaches did not select him as a reserve).

Ball, 23, is part of a young core in Charlotte with Brandon Miller (22), Mark Edwards (23, although he is in trade rumors) and possibly even Miles Bridges (older at 26). That core, however, isn't winning many games right now, and this team still needs a true No. 1 option to build around.

There has been some talk about the Hornets trying to trade Ball this summer, but his market would be limited. Part of that is his max contract, Ball has four years and $ 168.6 million remaining on his extension that kicked in this year. The other part of that is he is seen in league circles as more of a floor raiser than a guy who is the point guard of a contender. That is due to Ball's defensive struggles, plus the perception that his stats are more "empty calories" than those leading a team to wins.

Ball should be healthy and ready for summer training, then when training camp opens in the fall. Who will be with Ball in Charlotte next fall is the big question.