Kemba Walker Injury: Updates on Hornets Guard's Recovery from Knee Surgery
Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker underwent surgery Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, the team announced.
Continue for updates.
Walker Undergoes Second Knee Operation in as Many Years
Monday, May 9
Walker is expected to be sidelined from all basketball activities until early July. The team categorized the surgery as a "repair," so it does not appear Walker had his meniscus (or part of it) removed.
Walker underwent surgery on a torn left lateral meniscus during the 2014-15 campaign and experienced soreness in the same knee that caused him to miss Feb. 3's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Otherwise, the 26-year-old hasn't caused Charlotte fans to fret over his health too much during his young NBA career. He is the clear catalyst for the Hornets offense, which underwent an identity shift due to big man Al Jefferson's injury-plagued season.
The additions of Jeremy Lin, Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb and rookie first-round pick Frank Kaminsky provided a lift in terms of scoring. The Hornets all but abandoned their interior presence for a more five-out game that has become all the rage.
Lin and Batum are headed for free agency, so this is a big summer in Charlotte. But the bigger concern is about Walker's long-term health. Meniscus injuries are tricky. A number of players have chosen to have the ligament removed altogether to avoid re-injury, which can create a host of other long-term issues. It's unclear when Walker suffered the injury, but it's likely he was playing part of the season through considerable pain.
