The bad news just got worse for the Charlotte Hornets Monday. Following surgery to repair the dislocated shoulder he suffered in the pre-season opener against Orlando Friday, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will likely miss the entire season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, an MRI revealed the need for surgery and the ensuing timetable for return.
Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will need shoulder surgery and be sidelined six months, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 5, 2015
The news is a major blow to the Hornets’ playoff hopes. It’s also a disappointing setback to the promising young career of Kidd-Gilchrist, who just signed a four-year, $52 million deal during the offseason. He averaged a somewhat modest 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season, but the defensive end is where he made his most important impact.
The Hornets not only scored more than three points more per 100 possessions when he was on the floor; they also gave up almost eight more points per 100 possessions when he sat. That means Charlotte will have to lean heavily on newly-acquired Nicholas Batum to pick up the slack defensively.
As the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 Draft, Kidd-Gilchrist has been no stranger to injuries during his brief career. He was held to just 55 games last season with foot and ankle injuries and missed a month in 2013 with a broken hand. As stated in the report, it’s possible Kidd-Gilchrist could be back in time for the postseason, but that means the Hornets will have to secure their playoff bid without him in the lineup, which won’t be an easy task.
