The Charlotte Hornets have added a trio of players to health and safety protocols. Miles Bridges, a leading candidate for the Most Improved Player award, PJ Washington and Cody Martin will now be sidelined, starting with Charlotte's contest on Monday against the Houston Rockets.

Bridges has stepped up his play significantly this season, posting per-game averages of 19.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals, which are all career highs. The forward with sky-high leaping abilities is second on the team in scoring and third in assists. Losing a player as athletically explosive and productive as him is a big blow for Charlotte.

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Martin and Washington rank sixth and seventh on the team, respectively, in minutes per game. After being a starter for the past few years, Washington was moved to a bench role. He averages 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists while making 2.0 triples per game. Martin ranks first on the team in 3-point percentage at 50.7 percent (though he only attempts 2.3 triples per game) and averages 9.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Now, the pressure is really on for LaMelo Ball. He has proven to be a solid leader for the Hornets — averaging 19.8 points, 8.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals, which all lead the team — but will now be really tested. Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. will have to step up as well.

Charlotte's high-powered offense and league-worst defense have led to a record of 17-17. They haven't been playing too well as of late, though, as they have posted a record of just 4-7 in December. This is the worst time for them to lose one of their best players and two key bench players.