David West Suffers Season-Ending Torn ACL; Carl Landry Becomes Starter For Hornets

New Orleans lost its second-best offensive player, so Williams will need to continue to learn on the fly how to score points without West. If Landry can produce like he did on Friday, that’s a huge help.

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David West will miss the rest of the season for the New Orleans Hornets after suffering a torn ACL, reports Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Time-Picayune. West was injured in the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ dramatic overtime win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday. He was wheeled off the court, and while X-rays turned out negative, a Friday MRI in Phoenix reportedly turned up the tear.

West has been New Orleans’ top scorer and most reliable big man this season; he’s been the team’s second-best player since Chris Paul turned around the franchise in 2005. The Hornets are in playoff position, currently the No. 7 seed in the stacked West. Losing West is a real blow to N.O.‘s hope of a first-round upset over the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers or Dallas Mavericks.

There’s another wrinkle: West will likely be a free agent at season’s end, as he can opt out of his $7.5 million contract.

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