Gordon Hayward injury update: Hornets ahead at least four weeks with sprained right foot

The Charlotte Hornets suffered a heavy blow in their game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, as forward Gordon Hayward left the game with a foot injury. On Saturday, the Hornets announced that Hayward had suffered a sprained right foot and would be reassessed in about four weeks.

Hornets:

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that forward Gordon Hayward has suffered a sprained right foot. The injury was sustained in the second quarter of last night’s win over the Indiana Pacers. The initial diagnosis was confirmed by a medical examination and studies today in Indianapolis. He will be reassessed in about four weeks and further updates on his status will be provided as appropriate.

Hayward is averaging 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 34.0 minutes per game in 44 appearances (all starts) this season with the Hornets. The 11th-year forward shoots 41.4 percent from the three-point line. Hayward set a career-high scoring Jan.6 against Atlanta with 44 points and has totaled 20 or more points in 20 outings this season. The Butler product was originally acquired by Charlotte as part of a signing and trade with the Boston Celtics on November 29, 2020.

The injury occurred in the second quarter of the game against the Pacers when Hayward led center Myles Turner. He stepped on Turner’s foot and immediately collapsed to the ground. He quickly returned to the locker room and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. You can see the room where the injury occurred below:

The Hornets signed Hayward to a four-year, $ 128 million contract last offseason, and his success or failure will still depend largely on health. Hayward has played at a near-All-Star level this season in more of a ball handler role, but given his age (30) and injury history, the deal came with significant risk.

Fortunately, this is only a sprain. The worst results were avoided. But the Hornets don’t exactly have time to let Hayward recover. LaMelo Ball is already sidelined indefinitely with a fractured wrist, and with less than two months to go, the No. 4 seeded Hornets are in the midst of a close battle for playoff positioning from the Eastern Conference. They currently lead the No. 7 seeded Knicks with just 1.5 games. The East is so crowded that even one bad stretch could be the difference between a playoff appearance or a lottery landing. Without Hayward and Ball for the foreseeable future, the Hornets will face a difficult task when it comes to maintaining their current position in the playoffs.