Struggling Hornets Expected to Lose Kelly Oubre Jr for 4-6 Weeks

The hits just keep coming for the Hornets, and not in a good way. It’s just been that type of season, the first following the return of coach Steve Clifford.

And now, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, forward Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss four-to-six weeks after suffering a torn ligament in his left hand. The injury will require surgery.

The Hornets first lost point guard LaMelo Ball to a sprained ankle early in the season, then again after he stepped on the foot of a courtside fan. They also have not brought back restricted free agent Miles Bridges, for reasons we disclosed here.

So they were without their best two players for last season for much of the first half. Now, Oubre is about to be out, too.

He has gotten off to a fantastic start, averaging a career-high 20.2 points and 5.1 rebounds, shooting 42 percent from the field.

So, it’s hard to see things getting better for the Hornets anytime soon. That said, the latest news could mean Bridges returns to the fold before too long. If the Hornets have hopes of a return to even the play-in tournament, they will need to do something, that’s for sure.

Sources: Hornets forward Kelly Oubre Jr. will undergo surgery on a torn ligament in his left hand and miss 4-to-6 weeks. Oubre – averaging a career high 20.2 points – suffered the injury in the first week of the season and has been playing through the pain on his shooting hand.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 3, 2023