Michael Kidd-Gilchrist cleared for full-contact practice

And at long last, they finally heard rejoicing in the city of Charlotte once again.

Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been cleared to return to full-contact practice, the team announced in a release on Tuesday.

INJURY UPDATE: @MKG14 has officially been cleared for full-contact practice? Full release: https://t.co/Zv6KkyOnSU pic.twitter.com/yl2bqHoPHG

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) January 19, 2016

Kidd-Gilchrist has yet to make an appearance for the Hornets this regular season after suffering a torn right labrum in a freak fall during an early October preseason contest. The fourth-year forward underwent surgery on the shoulder and was originally given a recovery timetable of six months. That assessment put a return date sometime in April, making it seem likely that Kidd-Gilchrist would miss the entire season.

But apparently, the former Kentucky Wildcat has greatly outperformed that initial estimate as his clearance for full-contact practice marks perhaps the biggest hurdle to overcome in his rehab.

The Hornets have been nothing to write home about in Kidd-Gilchrist’s absence. They are currently at 19-22 on the season, a fairly distant 12th in the Eastern Conference. But Charlotte has managed to cobble together a respectable defense without him (14th in the league in defensive efficiency, per ESPN). They have some other intriguing pieces on their roster as well thanks to the development of their young talent and the acquisition of undervalued veterans over the offseason.

The release also notes, however, that there is still no timetable for Kidd-Gilchrist to make his way back to the active lineup. But hopefully the near-imminent return of their best one-on-one defender will give the Hornets the midseason jolt they need with a dark horse bid at a fringe playoff seed still in the realm of possibilities.

Image Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

H/T Rotoworld