The surging Charlotte Hornets are about to get their starting point guard back from injury. Kemba Walker’s damaged right knee has improved to the point where he expects to play in the team’s game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Kemba Walker says he’s returning from his knee injury Wednesday
The Hornets guard will in theory provide a boost to their playoff hopes, but the team has played well without him.
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“I’m playing,” he told Hornets.com. “I’ll be out there playing tomorrow night against the Kings.”
Walker has not played since Jan. 23 after tearing his left meniscus. A second look showed the tear and necessitated the need for surgery to repair the damaged part of the knee. His expected timetable of six weeks was right on the mark: he’ll ultimately return to the court six weeks and one day after the Hornets’ announcement.
Walker has been participating in shootaround and 3 on 3 work over the past week. He told Hornets.com that the decision to return is “really up to me” at this point. “My knee is at a good strength right now,” he said.
Walker’s return offers some interesting complications for a Hornets team that’s played well without him. Charlotte is 10-8 since losing Walker and 6-4 since moving the newly-acquired Mo Williams into the starting lineup. Williams himself is averaging a whopping 21 points and 8.5 assists per game in 10 games filling in for Walker. Will Walker get his starting job back, or will the Hornets elect to keep a good thing going? It may take time for Walker to get back up to speed and Williams has been effective.
The Hornets are currently 28-34, which is tied with Indiana for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Miami is half a game back, while Boston is a full game behind.
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