Malik Monk Out 6-8 Weeks After Thumb Injury Diagnosed as Fracture

Charlotte Hornets guard Malik Monk is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks after being diagnosed with a fractured right thumb, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reported Saturday.

Monk got off to a strong start to the 2018 NBA Summer League, scoring 23 points in the opener on Friday night.

Unfortunately for him, he would not be able to build on that success, as he has now received tough news less than 24 hours later.

The Hornets were generally considered to have done well to select Monk with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal gave Charlotte a "B+" grade.

Especially once Nicolas Batum returned from an elbow injury last November, Monk was relegated to a minor role in his rookie season. He averaged 6.7 points and 1.4 assists while shooting 34.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Not only was Monk stuck behind Batum, he also had to battle Jeremy Lamb for playing time. Lamb enjoyed the best season of his NBA career, averaging 12.9 points per game.

But with James Borrego leading a new coaching staff, this was an opportunity for Monk to get a fresh start. That will have to be put on hold as he now finds himself sidelined.