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The Charlotte Hornets will most likely be without shooting guard/small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the entire upcoming season after the 22-year old reportedly separated his shoulder in a preseason game against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. This could not come at a worse time for the Hornets, who recently agreed on a four-year, $52 million extension with the athletic defensive specialist this past summer.
Kidd-Gilchrist averaged 10.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 1.4 APG while shooting 47 percent from the field last season. While his offense is still very much a work in progress, he is integral to the Hornets’ defensive schemes, as evidenced by him finishing ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft will now be forced to sit on the sidelines as his team will attempt to return to the playoffs this season after missing out a year ago.
It will be interesting to see how the Hornets decide to alter their starting lineup, as Kidd-Gilchrist was projected to be the team’s starting small forward coming into the season. It will not be surprising at all if they bump Nicolas Batum up from shooting guard to fill this hole, while deciding to start either Jeremy Lamb or P.J. Hairston at Batum’s old position.
The Hornets might have lost their best defender, but their offense should definitely improve slightly when one considers Kidd-Gilchrist’s lack of any kind of reliable outside jump shot, something Lamb, Hairston and Batum all possess. With that said, they will need to collectively step up on the defensive end of the floor if they hope to make the playoffs this year. Losing a player of Kidd-Gilchrist’s caliber is definitely tough to stomach, especially for a young team still searching for their identity.
Dan Schultz is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
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