Nicolas Batum came into the playoffs nursing an ankle injury. But the Charlotte Hornets forward may see his postseason cut short with another one. Batum rolled his ankle during the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ game two loss to the Miami Heat and did not return with what the team called an ankle sprain.
If Steve Clifford’s thoughts are any indication, Hornets fans should be worried. The Hornets head coach told reporters he is “very concerned” about Batum’s ankle injury and for good reason.
Batum has a history of injuries and despite his tremendous play, that history always hangs over him. Additionally, the Hornets need their do-it-all forward on the floor to have any chance of coming back in a series where they have looked completely over-matched.
Batum is also a free agent this summer and is expected to get a max contract. I doubt this specific injury will have much of an impact on his value, but it may make some teams question whether they should invest that much time and money on a player who has often had difficulty staying on the court.
As for the rest of the playoffs, there has been no indication about whether or not Batum will play in game three, although judging by Clifford’s words, it may be unlikely. The Hornets next play in Charlotte on Saturday at 5:30 PM EST.
