October 5, 2017 - Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Nicolas Batum underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) exam today which revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. The injury occurred with 11:26 remaining in the first quarter of Charlotte’s preseason road contest against the Detroit Pistons last night. Treatment options are still being evaluated, but Batum is expected to miss a minimum of six to eight weeks. Further updates on his status will be provided when available.
The 6-8 veteran swingman from France has averaged new career highs in points in each of his first two seasons in Charlotte. During the 2016-17 season, Batum totaled 1,164 points, 481 rebounds and 455 assists, becoming the first Charlotte player to score over 1,000 points, grab 450 rebounds and hand out over 450 assists in a single season. After a seven-year stint with Portland, Batum has averaged 15.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 34.5 minutes per game over the course of 144 games the last two seasons with the Hornets.