Kidd-Gilchrist out indefinitely with torn shoulder

Ugh. With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out due to a torn labrum (from a dislocation shoulder) the entire picture changes.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s defensive skills will be sorely missed.

So imagine the number of people in the organization needing to breath into a paper bag Monday, after Yahoo Sports reported that Kidd-Gilchrist would miss approximately six months with the dislocated right shoulder suffered in the exhibition opener Saturday in Orlando.

Kidd-Gilchrist’s importance can not be overstated for the Hornets.

The Charlotte Hornets are a completely different team with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the court than the are without him.

The 22-year-old recently signed a four-year, million contract extension with the Hornets.

Scoring only 31 points in the second half continues the trend of last season, when the Heat just couldn’t buy a basket in the third quarters of crucial losses. “When he’s not on the floor, we don’t”.

The Charlotte Observer reports that MKG can opt to undergo six to eight weeks of rehabilitation but is prone to re-injuring his shoulder. “He’s very verbal with his teammates”. They weren’t just expecting that, however; they pretty much went all-in on it, with only Kidd-Gilchrist and Nicolas Batum as natural small forwards on the roster. Sports. MKG is probably the team’s best perimeter defender and has developed his offense since being drafted by the second overall in the 2012 National Basketball Association Draft.

There are two main reasons for the drop off – and neither are MKG’s legendarily bad jumper, which was re-worked by Mark Price and is less painful than it used to be (he averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season).

With Kidd-Gilchrist out, Clifford will have to make over the rotation.

Batum can start at small forward, his primary position in Portland, but while creating a hole at shooting guard that will be left to Jeremy Lamb, P.J. Hairston, Troy Danielsand maybe a few Jeremy Lin.