Charlotte Hornets provide injury updates on two key players. When will they return?
During shootaround leading into Thursday night’s matchup with the Detroit Pistons, Charles Lee noticed a new participant on the court.
That would be Mark Williams. And he was joined by Nick Richards.
For the first time in a while, the Charlotte Hornets’ duo worked up a sweat together, going through team drills and knocking off some of the rust that’s accumulated over the past few weeks.
“It was nice to kind of see them playing in the seam and making some passes,” Lee, the Hornets’ first-year coach, said. “It’s always good when they can kind of get reacquainted with the group.”
Williams, Charlotte’s starting center who hasn’t played in a competitive NBA game since Dec. 8, has begun participating in team activities, the Hornets announced on Thursday. And in another positive development: Richards, who’s rehabbing a broken rib, has also been cleared to increase his individual workload.
No timetable for a return was given for either, however.
Williams suffered a strained tendon in his left foot during an offseason workout just prior to training camp, sidelining him for the better part of the last two months. He has ramped up his individual workouts in recent three-on-three sessions.
Richards, who had been starting at center in Williams’ place, hasn’t played since Nov. 1 due to a cartilage fracture in the first rib underneath his right clavicle. He banged his shoulder during a collision in a loss to Boston, leaving the Hornets even-more shorthanded along their frontline.
Williams’ return to full-blown team scrimmaging is the final step before the 7-footer gets cleared to play in games.
Initially termed as a “minor setback” after the news was announced, when president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson addressed the masses at media day, Williams has instead been forced to watch the Hornets’ first 15 games of the season in street clothes, including Thursday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
Williams’ absence compounds things because he missed most of last season due to what was initially termed a lower back contusion, playing in just 19 games. And the foot injury he picked up in September compounded things because he couldn’t participate during training camp while he was in a walking boot, forcing him to sit out all five preseason outings that could have been very beneficial — at least for his mental psyche.
He hasn’t spoken publicly since media day, but bristled at the idea he’s injury-prone.
“Injury prone, nah I’m not going for that,” Williams said on Sept. 30. “I’ve had one long-term injury that I’m completely fine from. But I was doing everything in the summer, playing fives. But this is just something minor for me. But, yeah, that’s it really.
“I think it is what it is. I just think injuries are a part of the league and it’s how you bounce back from it.”
Immediate expectations probably should be tempered due to the sheer number of days in between Williams’ last actual NBA action. He’s going to need several practices and shootaround sessions before the staff feels comfortable that he can handle the physical load and his conditioning levels are at an optimum stage.
Richards. meanwhile, was off to the best start of his career.
Before getting hurt, Richards was one of three players in the NBA this season averaging at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game, putting him in the company of Los Angeles Lakers’ star Anthony Davis and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.
Without Williams, and more recently Richards, it provided an opportunity for Moussa Diabate. The Hornets’ offensive rebounding percentage improved by 12.5% (ranking in the 100th percentile) while opponents’ offensive rating has fallen by 20.4 points (100th percentile) when Diabate is on the court.
“I’m excited for them,” Lee said “I think they’ve approached their rehab and return-to-play plans with the right mindset. I’m just proud of them for sticking with it, especially Mark who’s been going through it a little bit longer than Nick (with) Nick having a little bit of a rare injury happen to him.
“But I’m really happy with both guys’ progression. They’ve increased their intensity, which is great.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 4:15 PM.
