Al Jefferson To Miss Six Weeks Following Knee Surgery
By Jon Shames
After already losing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the season, the Charlotte Hornets will now be forced to move forward without star big man Al Jefferson, at least for the foreseeable future.
The Hornets announced late Wednesday that an MRI revealed a torn meniscus in Jefferson’s right knee. Jefferson is set to have arthroscopic surgery performed on the damaged knee on Thursday; the estimate for his recovery is six weeks.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets Al Jefferson will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow to address a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) December 31, 2015
Jefferson has an extensive injury history, and this isn’t the first time he’s had problems in his right knee. In 2009, Jefferson tore his right ACL and had to miss the remainder of the 2008-2009 season.
This is unwelcome news for the Hornets, who are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte was poised for a playoff push this year after ridding themselves of the cancerous Lance Stephenson and adding impact players like Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb, and Jeremy Lin.
Jefferson has been battling injuries throughout the season, and recently returned from a five-game suspension that was given to him by the league office. In the two contests since his return, Jefferson has posted a cumulative five points, eight rebounds, and seven fouls on a 2-for-12 shooting from the field. On the season, Jefferson is averaging 12.5 points and just over six rebounds per game.
The former All-Star center has been a key part of Charlotte’s success since joining the Bobcats back in 2013, but this season, the team has more weapons than ever before, so it doesn’t rely as heavily on Jefferson’s post-up offense.
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The Hornets are 5-6 without Jefferson this year, but even during his absence, the team has had its share of convincing wins, including victories against the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Toronto Raptors.
Even before this injury, it seemed unlikely that Jefferson would be a part of Charlotte’s long-term plans. The 30-year-old hits the free-agent market this summer, and the chances that the Hornets decide to double-down on the injury-prone center are looking slimmer and slimmer.
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Charlotte rallied around its injuries last year; only time will tell if that narrative will continue to hold steady in the 2015-16 campaign.