Hornets Former Lottery Pick Undergoes Knee Surgery

The Charlotte Hornets got a bad piece of injury news in advance of the beginning of the new season, learning that guard James Bouknight will be out for a minimum of four weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

James Bouknight is having surgery today. Asked Steve Clifford about it.https://t.co/rOxqSG8ZI0

— Rod Boone (@rodboone) October 11, 2023

The arthroscopic surgery to address a meniscus injury in his left knee was successful, reports the team. He suffered the injury last Thursday during a training camp practice. He'll be re-evaluated in four weeks. 

"It stinks for him," said head coach Steve Clifford. "But it's just part of the NBA."

It is a bad break for Bouknight, whose role on the team was already precarious. He played in just 34 games last season off the bench and has averaged 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 12.6 minutes per game during his two-year career with the Hornets.

He was selected by the Hornets in the first round (11th overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft. 

He made news for all the wrong reasons one year ago, when he was found by police unconscious in his car during a DWI arrest, with a gun in his lap. 

The Hornets need to make a call this month on whether to pick up their $6M rookie scale option on Bouknight for next season, otherwise he'll become a free agent next summer. 

Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports