Nicolas Batum Ruled out vs. Wizards with Elbow Injury

Charlotte Hornets swingman Nicolas Batum suffered a left elbow contusion in the first half against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, according to the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell. 

Batum has continued to provide valuable across-the-board production for the Hornets over the past two-plus years similar to his seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. His ability to contribute in all five major categories makes him a perfect glue guy for the team's starting lineup.

The 28-year-old France international standout entered the 2016-17 campaign with a strong recent track record of durability. He played in at least 70 games for five straight years. He missed the early stages of this season with an elbow injury, though.

If the latest ailment forces him back to the sideline, Jeremy Lamb figures to once again slot in as the Hornets' primary shooting guard. Malik Monk, Treveon Graham and Dwayne Bacon could also see smaller upticks in usage as part of the team's rotation.

Although Charlotte should have enough depth to fill the void reasonably well, the roster isn't as strong without Batum's all-around play available. The hustle plays he makes don't always show up in the box score and will be tough to replace until he's back to full strength.