Charlotte Hornets announce Nick Richards and Mark Williams injury updates

Matt Alquiza | 6 Hours Ago

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets have done an admiral job at taking on oversized NBA competition with their undersized interior, but their time lacking size seems to be nearing its end. According to Hornets PR, both Nick Richards and Mark Williams both are progressing in their return to play programs.

The former Kentucky Wildcat Richards came out of the gates guns blazing. Richards had compiled three straight double doubles, the last of which being a 24 point, 12 rebound career-best performance for the big man, before suffering a rib injury in a loss to the Boston Celtics on November 11th. He hasn't played since that day, but according to the team, he has entered the next phase in his rehabilitation.

Williams, a former first round pick from Duke, hasn't touched an NBA court in almost a year. A back injury prematurely ended his 2023-24 season while a training camp foot injury has kept him away from the floor in the early weeks of 2024-25. His missed games streak is the longest among current active players, but a return to play is imminent. Charles Lee has said for weeks that Williams has been working individually at each practice, and that a return to team activities would be the next step in his rehabiliation play, which we now know has come in recent days.

INJURY UPDATE: @hornets centers Nick Richards (R First Rib Fracture) and Mark Williams (L Foot Tendon Strain) have continued progressing in the rehab from their injuries and have returned to group and team activities. (1/2)

— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) November 21, 2024

The return of one or both will give a massive lift to Charlotte's defense. The Hornets have struggled on that end of the floor due to their size, and the insertion of a seven footer back into the starting lineup (and another onto the bench) will assuredly sure up some of their issues.

Charles Lee's squad has played each night with unmatched effort and intensity, but they can only mitigate their lack of height so much against larger-than-life opponents. Two players in particular, Grant Williams and Moussa Diabaté, have played significant minutes in Charlotte's front court while Richards and Williams are on the mend, meaning their roles are set to change drastically when the two ailing big men return.

What it means for Grant Williams and Moussa Diabaté

Charles Lee's Hornets squad has done an admiral job at mitigating their lack of size. Moussa Diabaté's revelatory performance and Grant Williams steady play have steadied the rocky ship that is Charlotte's front court. It's safe to anticipate that Grant will slide into more of a reserve role backing up both Miles Bridges at the four and Mark Williams and Nick Richards at the five, while Diabaté will continue to play around 20 minutes a night off Charlotte's bench.

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