After a highly encouraging start to the 2021-22 season, the Charlotte Hornets hit a rough patch to begin the month of February. The Hornets are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, including a 15-point home loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Making matters worse, Charlotte forward Gordon Hayward left Monday’s loss after only six minutes of court time and, on Tuesday, the Hornets made it official that, while an X-Ray was negative on Hayward’s left ankle, he has sprained ligaments and is out indefinitely.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets F Gordon Hayward underwent an X-Ray on his left ankle which was negative. Hayward also underwent an MRI on his left ankle which revealed sprained ligaments. Hayward will be listed as OUT indefinitely & updates on his status will be provided as appropriate.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) February 9, 2022
Hayward has appeared in 48 of the first 55 games for the Hornets, and Charlotte is 26-22 when he appears. The 31-year-old veteran is no longer the No. 1 option for the Hornets after the emergence of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, but Hayward is a versatile, intriguing piece for Charlotte, averaging 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season.
In Hayward’s absence, the Hornets could turn to Kelly Oubre Jr. for a larger role, and he played 38 minutes on Monday. Charlotte also has versatility with Bridges’ ability to swing to the 3 and P.J. Washington as an option at the 4, but the Hornets don’t have overwhelming depth when it comes to proven options.
At the time of the announcement, the Hornets hold a two-game lead over the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 9 spot in the East and, with a muddled field behind them, Charlotte still projects as a play-in team at the very least. Still, this is a blow for the Hornets, particularly if Hayward’s absence extends for weeks and months.
