The Charlotte Hornets will be shorthanded when they hit the floor in Miami for their first preseason game on Tuesday night. It was revealed that Theo Maledon, Leaky Black, James Bouknight, and Cody Martin have been marked as out and would not be traveling with the squad. Beyond the competition on Tuesday, they will also abstain from the competition in Washington on Thursday.
The fact that Bouknight chose not to go with the squad is not shocking. The left knee of the third-year guard was injured during training camp, and he will likely be out for a while. Black has a left ankle problem, Maledon has a right shoulder trouble, and Martin has a left knee injury of his own.
Bryce McGowens and Frank Ntilikina are two more players who have been labeled as probable versus the Heat. McGowens has a sprained left ankle, while Ntilikina is recovering from a hamstring strain in his right leg. While McGowens tries to establish himself as a legitimate NBA player, Ntilikina is hoping to make a name for himself in Charlotte.
Miles Bridges is the only other player who won’t be playing for the Hornets on Tuesday. Bridges was declared ineligible to take part in the preseason of the NBA. This is a component of the NBA ban he was given for prior off-court legal concerns.
It makes no difference whether the Hornets win tonight in Miami. Making sure the players are healthy after the game has to be the main priority. Injuries plagued Charlotte last season, and they cannot afford for it to happen again in 2023–24, especially in the opening game of their preseason schedule, which in the larger scheme of things means virtually nothing.
The game will be broadcast on NBATV and will tip off at 7:30 PM at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
