New Orleans Hornets: David West's Uncertain Future

March 24, 2011—the date David West will forever remember.

With 22.3 seconds left before the end of regulation, West tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against the Utah Jazz.

It was a game-tying dunk as he made a “pick and roll play” with Chris Paul and went straight to the basket.

However, the one-handed power slam ended with one leg falling awkwardly. The moment his left knee touched the ground with his whole weight on it, he knew it was over—the end of his season, the end of playing past the second round of the playoffs and maybe even the end of his magical career altogether.

It happened at an inopportune time, when the Hornets were making their playoff run with Chris Paul also playing with an injured knee.

This is West’s contract year. He's set to hit the open market in the offseason, but now everything is put behind a mist of uncertainty.

There aren’t many players in the NBA who have had an ACL injury and come back 100 percent. It would take a lot of rehabilitating and a lot of patience in getting back to top form.

Luckily for David, with the looming lockout season, it would buy him enough time for his comeback.

West is still a valuable player that any team would want. He has a variety of post moves and can shoot mid-range jumpers, sets good picks and has mid-level defense.

He is the Hornets' leading scorer and Carl Landry (his backup) is now having to do a whole lot more than usual to cover the hole that's been vacated.

There aren’t many players who have had an ACL injury that have been able to come back and be successful, but then there are only a handful of players who are unselfish and still lead their team in scoring, too.

David is one of them.

What's more, there are even fewer who stand 6'9" tall and have the number of offensive moves and shooting touch that he has.

David West took this whole situation as a positive thing in his career.

It’s likely because he knows he can’t do anything about it, but also it’s because it has given him a new dimension—a new perspective, to look for ways to be even more effective when he comes back.

The New Orleans Hornets won that ball game against the Utah Jazz in overtime with Emeka Okafor hitting a miracle shot to force OT.

David West witnessed two unlikely situations in that game: One was his season-ending injury and the other was a miracle.

Somehow, everything will be okay—we just have to believe that miracles can happen.

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