Grant Williams is finished for the season as Hornets' injury woes continue

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another day, another injury for the Charlotte Hornets. And this one stings.

Grant Williams tore his right ACL and is out for the season, league sources confirmed to The Charlotte Observer on Sunday. Williams had an MRI that revealed the full extent of the damage of the injury that occurred at the tail end of Saturday night’s loss in Milwaukee.

Williams couldn’t put any weight on his right leg following an awkward fall during a drive to the basket late in the fourth quarter, continuing the trend for a team already missing Miles Bridges (right knee bone bruise), Tre Mann (low back), Mark Williams (foot) and Nick Richards (shoulder).

Grant Williams needed assistance from Richards and head athletic trainer Quentin Sawyer, and didn’t return to Saturday’s game. Williams is one of the Hornets’ most versatile players, often being utilized at multiple positions. The Charlotte native has been invaluable as a starter and a reserve since coming to the Hornets in February at the trade deadline in the deal sending PJ Washington to Dallas.

In 16 games this season, Williams averaged 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He started at center in seven games, including the last six. Now, Hornets coach Charles Lee will have to try to replace Williams’ production, and that likely means more time for Frenchmen Tidjane Salaün and Moussa Diabate — at least until Mark Williams and Richards return from their respective injuries.

Mark Williams, who’s closing in on a full calendar year without playing in a competitive NBA game, has begun participating in team activities and should be ramping up his activity levels during practice and morning shootaround before games. Richards, who’s rehabbing a broken rib, has also been cleared to be involved in team activities.

Williams, the third-year center, suffered a strained tendon in his left foot during an offseason workout just prior to training camp, keeping him on the bench in street clothes during games for the last two months, and has ramped up his individual workouts by participating in three-on-three scrimmage sessions.

Richards, who was starting at center in Williams’ place, has been out since Nov. 1 with a cartilage fracture in the first rib underneath his right clavicle. It came as a result of banging his shoulder during a collision in a loss to Boston.

Williams’ return to full-blown team scrimmaging is the final step before the 7-footer gets cleared to play in games, which would be a major boost since the injury was initially termed a “minor setback.” He also missed most of last season because of a back injury, playing in just 19 games.

So whenever Williams does step onto the court for game action, he won’t be on the same frontline with Grant Williams, signaling just how difficult it’s been for the Hornets to avoid the injury bug for the better part of the past few seasons.

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