Gordon Hayward injury update: Hornets star fractures his hand, listed day-to-day for games

Gordon Hayward, days into his season with the Charlotte Hornets, has already injured himself. The team announced his injury after the preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on December 14 (December 15 IST). As of now, the Hornets star will miss Thursday's game against Orlando Magic. 

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Gordon Hayward injury update 

Hayward has apparently suffered from a avulsion fracture of his fifth metacarpal on his right hand during the game against the Raptors. Fans appeared dissapointed with Hayward's injury, which comes after his $120 million deal with the team. 

What is an avulsion fracture?

An avulsion fracture is an injury that occurs to a bone where a tendon/ligament attached to the bone. The ligament or tendon is pulled off the bone, and can occur anywhere in the body. However, some places are more common than the others. 

Also read | NBA: Celtics' Gordon Hayward out for 6 weeks after successful surgery

When will Gordon Hayward return?

Per the reports, Hayward is listed on a day-to-day basis for the team. As of now, he is confirmed to miss the game agaisnt the Magic on Thursday (Friday IST). However, as no surgery is needed, Hayward might return sooner than expected.

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Gordon Hayward injury history

Gordon Hayward, 30, is known to be prone to injuries, which have ended up affecting his entire NBA career. One of his most gruesome injuries come from the 2017-18 regular-season opener between Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. Hayward's leg twisted underneath him as he fell while trying to catch an alley-oop pass, causing his ankle to snap. However, Hayard recovered from the injury. 

This year, he ended up leaving the NBA bubble due to an ankle injury. 

Also read | Hornets acquire Gordon Hayward, 2 draft picks from Celtics

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(Image credits: Gordon Hayward Instagram)