Batum suffered broken finger in Hornets' season opener

Hornets forward Nicolas Batum suffered a broken middle finger in Charlotte's season opener Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls, the team announced following an X-ray.

Batum returned to the locker room after the third quarter with what the team initially described as a sprained left hand, adding he would not return to the contest. He finished with zero points, four rebounds, and two assists in 11 minutes.

Injuries have plagued Batum during his time in Charlotte. He missed the first 12 games of the 2017-18 campaign due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. He was also sidelined for a stretch of the preseason this month with a sore Achilles tendon in his right foot.

The 30-year-old Frenchman is entering the fourth season of the five-year, $120-million contract he signed with Charlotte in 2016. He owns a player option for the 2020-21 campaign worth $27.1 million, according to Spotrac.

Despite losing Batum, the Hornets held on to defeat the Bulls in their season opener, 126-125.