The Charlotte Hornets’ bid for a second consecutive playoff appearance has taken a serious hit.
The Hornets confirmed Monday that point guard Kemba Walker will undergo surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. The team did not offer a timetable for Walker’s return, but Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Monday, citing league sources, that the UConn product could miss six weeks.
Dr. David Altchek will perform the surgery Wednesday in New York.
Walker leads Charlotte in points (18.8 per game), assists (5.2), steals (1.4) and minutes played (35.6) this season, and he has started all 42 games in which he has appeared, but knee discomfort forced him to miss three of the Hornets’ last five contests, including Saturday’s win over the New York Knicks.
The drop-off from Walker to backup point guard Brian Roberts is significant (Roberts is averaging just 6.8 points, 2.1 assists and 17.4 minutes per game), and the Hornets reportedly are pursuing trades in hopes of finding a new starter in Walker’s absence. Wojnarowski, citing sources, named Sacramento’s Ramon Sessions and Miami’s Norris Cole as potential targets.
Charlotte entered Monday with a half-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Thumbnail photo via Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports Images
