Hornets guard Ramon Sessions hopes he can avoid surgery on the knee injury he suffered this week, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Sessions was diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee after landing awkwardly while jumping Wednesday. He has been ruled out for tonight’s game in Utah and will be re-evaluated after the team returns home Sunday. “It’s not automatic surgery,” Sessions said. “From what the doctor in Utah saw, it wasn’t the worst tear. It was a little tear. Surgery or not, we don’t know. But it already feels better than it did the first night.” Sessions has been in the NBA for 10 years without surgery. The Hornets have a $6.27MM option on his contract for next season.
There’s more news from the Southeast Division:
- Charlotte traded for Miles Plumlee because GM Rich Cho believed the team needed more “physicality” and “athleticism,” he said in a conference call with reporters. The Hornets sent Spencer Hawes to the Bucks in the deal, along with Roy Hibbert, who just signed with the team in July. Cho blamed injuries for the difficulties Hibbert had in Charlotte. “I think that we had pretty high expectations when we signed Roy and, as you know, he had a really good first game,” the GM said, “but then he had some injuries and it’s kind of tough to get in a rhythm, into a groove when you’re up and down with the injuries. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for Roy here, but one thing that you have to do when you’re a team, when you feel like something’s not working, [you have to] try and move on quickly.”
- Wizards center Ian Mahinmi feels “really close” to being ready for game action, relays J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. Washington signed Mahinmi to a four-year, $64MM deal, but knee problems have limited him to just a brief appearance in one game. “The reaction to everything I’ve done is much better,” Mahinmi said. “I felt like seeing Dr. [James] Andrews was great. It was obviously the right move. I feel like I’m fixed.” The Wizards have only a brief time to evaluate Mahinmi before deciding if they need to pick up another center for the postseason. Their final game before the trade deadline is February 16th.
- Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is increasing his value with the best stretch of his career, writes Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He will be a restricted free agent this summer.