Hornets' Kidd-Gilchrist undergoes surgery for torn labrum, out indefinitely

Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, the team announced.

Kidd-Gilchrist consulted earlier in the day with team orthopedist Dr. Marcus Cook, who confirmed that surgery was the best course of action. The Hornets did not indicate a projected recovery timetable, but noted that the typical recovery time for the procedure is approximately six months, which means Kidd-Gilchrist miss the bulk of (if not the entire) regular season.

Related: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's injury deals the Hornets a crippling blow

The 22-year-old swingman left the Hornets' preseason game Saturday with what was believed to be a dislocated right shoulder, and the team was initially hopeful he'd only miss a few weeks after X-rays came back negative.

The loss of Kidd-Gilchrist could be devastating for the Hornets, who rely on his perimeter defense tremendously.

Nicolas Batum will likely play small forward instead of shooting guard with Kidd-Gilchrist out, opening up the shooting guard position for a training camp battle. It also puts more defensive pressure on Batum and stands to test head coach Steve Clifford's defensive scheme, which requires aggressive perimeter pressure to cover up a lack of rim protection.

While his statistical production on offense has been modest, Kidd-Gilchrist played his way to a four-year, $52-million contract extension this offseason, largely through his defensive efforts. He'd also shown marginal improvements with what was once a broken jump shot, and the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft could've been primed to break out in his fourth season.

The injury is the latest in a series of blows for Kidd-Gilchrist, who missed 47 games over the last two seasons due to foot, hand, rib, and hamstring injuries.