Four Hornets out for first two preseason games, two probable
On Tuesday night, the Charlotte Hornets will be down a few players when they take the court for their first preseason game in Miami. It was announced that James Bouknight, Cody Martin, Leaky Black, and Theo Maledon have been listed as out and will not travel with the team. Their designation of out extends beyond Tuesday’s contest, as they will also not participate in Thursday’s contest in Washington.
It is not surprising to see Bouknight not make the trip with the team. The third-year guard sprained his left knee during training camp and is expected to miss some time. Martin is dealing with a left knee injury of his own, while Black has a left ankle injury and Maledon’s right shoulder is an issue.
Two others have been listed as probable against the Heat, Bryce McGowens and Frank Ntilikina. McGowens has a left ankle sprain and Ntilikina is working his way through a right hamstring injury. Ntilikina is looking to catch on with Charlotte, while McGowens is trying to prove he belongs on a NBA roster.
There is one other player who will not be making an appearance for the Hornets on Tuesday, Miles Bridges. Bridges was ruled ineligible to participate in the NBA’s preseason. This comes as part of the suspension he received from the NBA for his previous legal issues off the court.
Whether the Hornets come away with a win in Miami tonight is inconsequential. The focus needs to be on ensuring that the players come out healthy. Charlotte suffered way too many injuries last season, and they cannot afford for that to happen again in 2023-24, particularly in the first game of their preseason schedule which means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Tip-off at Kaseya Center in Miami is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. with the contest airing on NBATV.
