Assault charges against Hornets' P.J. Hairston dropped

P.J. Hairston can stop worrying about an off-court issue and focus entirely on his young NBA career. 

Misdemeanor assault charges against the Charlotte Hornets' guard have been dropped, according to Keith Upchurch of The Herald-Sun. 

District Attorney Roger Echols said he dropped the charges at the request of the victim. Hairston was set to appear in Durham County District Court on Thursday.

The charges stemmed from an incident at a YCMA in July. Hairston and the alleged victim, a high school student, reportedly exchanged punches with one another during a pickup basketball game. 

Hairston is averaging 5.0 points in 13.2 minutes in his rookie season.