Derrick Coleman, sidelined the entire exhibition season because of an irregular heartbeat, won’t be able to play when the Charlotte Hornets open the regular season Tuesday night at Atlanta.
Coach Paul Silas said Coleman won’t even be examined again by a doctor until late next week.
Assuming he is cleared to play during that checkup, Silas said his power forward would still miss the first four games.
“The plan right now is to keep him on the active roster,” Silas said. “If you start him on the injured list, he’s got to miss at least five games and we’re thinking there’s a chance he can play by the fifth game.”
Coleman, the Hornets’ leading rebounder and second-leading scorer last season, has been barred from any contact work while he adjusts to new medication to treat his irregular heartbeat. The new medication thins his blood.
Coleman has been allowed to work out on his own throughout training camp. But scrimmaging and contact drills have been forbidden because of the risk of Coleman bleeding internally or developing blood clots.
– Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Speedy Claxton had reconstructive surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee.
Claxton, the former Hofstra star selected 20th overall in the NBA draft, will miss the entire season. He was injured Sunday when he collided with Utah’s Quincy Lewis.
Claxton averaged 5.2 points, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals in six exhibition games.
– The Seattle SuperSonics claimed guard Emanual Davis off waivers from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Davis, 32, averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in seven exhibition games for the Lakers. He averaged 4.0 points and 1.3 assists in 54 games for Seattle last season.
Davis went to the Lakers from the Sonics last month in the four-team deal that sent Patrick Ewing from New York to Seattle.
