Former Portland Trail Blazer and current Charlotte Hornet Nicolas Batum has torn a ligament in his left elbow, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, and may miss 8-12 weeks of action.
Charlotte's Nicolas Batum has suffered a torn ligament in his left elbow and will miss 8-to-12 weeks, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 5, 2017
Nicolas Batum is likely out the entire 2017-2018 season after tearing his UCL in his left elbow. pic.twitter.com/VBtT4vmGXr
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) October 5, 2017
The injury occurred during the Hornets’ Wednesday night preseason game against the Detroit Pistons.
Batum, 28, signed a 5-year, $120-million contract with the Hornets in 2016. His probable absence represents a huge on-court loss for the Hornets, who have potential to rise in the ranks of an already weakened Eastern Conference early on.
During the 2016-17 NBA season, Batum averaged a career-best 15.1 points and 5.9 assists per game.
The silver lining for Hornets fans could be immediate increased playing time for rookie shooting guard Malik Monk, who was highly coveted in the 2017 NBA Draft and selected No. 11 overall.