The news the hit on Monday out of Charlotte was deadening. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, one of the NBA’s rising young defensive stars and a cornerstone on a hoped-for Hornets playoff team, will effectively be out for most if not all of the 2015-16 season with a separated shoulder. The injury not only dampens MKG’s ability to tinker with and add to what could eventually be a stunning all-around game, but he severely damages Charlotte’s chances at making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
[Follow Dunks Don't Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]
With every cloud, almost literally, comes a silver lining and a new chance at NBA employment.