Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego revealed on Friday that guard Malik Monk is set to miss at least two weeks after suffering a sprained ankle late in Thursday’s loss to the Nets. Monk will be sidelined for two weeks before being re-evaluated, Borrego said.
The Hornets were already short on guards following LaMelo Ball’s injury that may end his season. Monk’s injury now adds even more issues to the Hornets rotation. At full strength, Ball was the starting point guard and Monk one of the first off the bench.
This season, Monk has averaged 13.1 points on 42.4% 3-point shooting in 21.7 minutes per game. All 32 games played have come off the bench, though Monk has flourished in the role. Since Ball’s injury, Monk averaged 18.3 points on 52.8% field goal shooting and 45.8% 3-point shooting.
Without Monk and Ball, recent addition Brad Wanamaker will likely see an increase in minutes. The team could also dip into the free agent market with 10-day contracts possible moving forward and the Hornets having an open roster spot.