Hornets' Kidd-Gilchrist not expected back this month

The Charlotte Hornets don't know exactly when Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be ready to return - just that it won't be any time soon.

Sidelined since Nov. 14 with a stress reaction in his right foot, Kidd-Gilchrist has been preaching patience with the injury, as have the Hornets. A stress reaction can be a precursor to a much more serious stress fracture, and so the cautious approach is necessary.

That means Kidd-Gilchrist's timeline is neither clear nor immediate. Head coach Steve Clifford said Saturday that the team doesn't expect Kidd-Gilchrist back before Dec. 3, though it's unclear why that specific day was mentioned.

"We're lucky that he said something, because if he gets a stress fracture, we're in deep trouble," Clifford said.

With shooting guard PJ Hairston also sidelined - albeit on a day-to-day basis - the Hornets are quite thin on the wing. Lance Stephenson has carried a heavy load as a result, with Gerald Henderson and Gary Neal seeing extended runs on Friday as well.

The Hornets are off to a disappointing 4-9 start on the season, and just 2-5 without Kidd-Gilchrist. The third-year Kentucky product is the team's best perimeter defender. He showed flashes of offensive growth before the injury, averaging 9.8 points on 62.5 percent shooting with a new jump shot that actually looked like a jump shot.