James Bouknight had surgery on his right pinky to repair a tendon, the Charlotte Hornets announced Tuesday. A timetable hasn't been set for Bouknight's return, but he will miss all of the Las Vegas Summer League, where he was expected to play a significant amount of minutes as he heads into Year 2 in the NBA.

Bouknight's rookie season was vastly different compared to other lottery picks. He spent a lot of time bouncing between the Greensboro Swarm and the Hornets. The 11th pick from the 2021 NBA Draft appeared in just 31 games for the Hornets and seven for the Swarm.

After a quiet rookie campaign, this surgery is a tough setback for the young guard.

Why this is a brutal setback for James Bouknight, Hornets

3. Why missing the Summer League is HUGE

The most important thing for a young player to get when he comes into the league is exposure. It doesn't matter where they happen to get it. James Borrego limited his regular-season action in 2022 because of a public verbal spat with Bouknight. We only saw flashes of what Bouknight was able to do in garbage time of games. Summer League was supposed to be a coming out party where he could dominate and show he belongs in the NBA.

Bouknight will now miss that chance and the opportunity to form chemistry with his other young teammates on the roster. This includes rookie Mark Williams, who is sure to get an ample amount of playing time this summer. It would have been nice to see Bouknight and Williams form a bond.

2. How this affects the regular season

Bouknight didn't have a spot in the rotation last season and now can't compete for one until training camp. The projected starting backcourt is LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, but who will be the first guard of the bench to relieve one of those two guys? There are still some question marks about how their rotation will look.

Bouknight could have used a strong Summer League and training camp to solidify his role, but now that first part is out the window and he'll have to play from behind. That's not ideal as he tries to make his mark on this Hornets team and in the NBA. Perhaps the youngster will still be able to make his presence felt despite this setback, but this makes the climb even steeper.

1. He better ball out in 2022-23

Being a lottery pick comes with great expectations. It's only going to be Year 2 for Bouknight, but the pressure is on. When he was drafted, the Hornets felt like he could be a franchise cornerstone alongside LaMelo Ball. With Borrego gone, Bouknight must prove to Steve Clifford he's worth having around. The young guard has to carve out a niche with this organization quickly. If he doesn't, the Hornets surely wouldn't mind dangling his name in trade talks.

Bouknight is still only 21 years old, so it's not like he'll fizzle out of the league immediately if he doesn't get it together in Charlotte. There's just no telling if he'll remain a part of this interesting young core that the Hornets are putting together. They have their generational talent in LaMelo Ball and a good cornerstone piece in Miles Bridges, assuming he returns in restricted free agency. Maybe Bouknight can piece it together to become that other vital piece alongside these star players.

Charlotte is ready to be relevant. Hopefully, Bouknight has a speedy recovery and is able to get back to work soon. This Hornets team could really use his help, especially if he turns things around and lives up to his draft hype.