Josh Green appears set to make his 2025-26 debut.
The Charlotte Hornets guard is not listed on the injury report for Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at Spectrum Center, putting him in line to potentially play in a meaningful game for the first time since April.
Green had been recovering from undergoing surgery in June to stabilize his left shoulder. He began training camp in October strictly limited to individual work and recently began ramping up his activity levels, which is the first sign of a return to the court for NBA game action.
Last week while the team was in New York as part of a three-game road trip, the Hornets assigned Green to the G League’s Greensboro Swarm for practice back in North Carolina, allowing him to get in better condition.
Green took part in the team contact portions of practice on Thursday and appears poised to join a roster still littered with injuries. LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann have been ruled out for the Hornets’ matchup with the Bulls.
Ball exited early in the second half of the Hornets’ 111-86 win over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night after injuring his left ankle and didn’t suit up in their loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday with what’s being called a left ankle bone bruise.
Mann, who’s nursing a right knee bone bruise, won’t be available for the fifth straight outing and Collin Sexton is set to miss his third straight game with a left quad strain.
Grant Williams (right knee) also remains out and Moussa Diabate (right knee soreness) is questionable.