Charlotte Hornets swingman Nicolas Batum is expected to miss at least six to eight weeks after an MRI on Thursday revealed a torn ligament in his left elbow, the team announced.
Batum was injured in the first minute of Wednesday's preseason game against the Pistons. He did not return.
"He just got tangled up," Charlotte coach Steve Clifford told reporters Thursday. "It was one of those kind of contact/collision plays where his arm got stuck between two guys. He was in a lot of pain."
Batum is in the second year of a five-year, $120 million contract with Charlotte. He averaged 15.1 points and 6.2 rebounds last season, his ninth in the league.