76ers Injury Report: Jalen McDaniels Will Miss Charlotte Return?

Jalen McDaniels' return to Charlotte is in jeopardy as the 76ers reserve is battling an injury.

Jalen McDaniels’ first return to North Carolina since getting traded likely won't feature the young wing playing against the Charlotte Hornets as his hip injury lingers.

During the Sixers’ Sunday night win over the Washington Wizards last weekend, McDaniels left the game early to get his hip checked out after experiencing pain.

When diagnosed with a hip contusion, McDaniels was ruled out for the rest of the game. After the win, Doc Rivers mentioned that he didn’t believe McDaniels’ injury was severe. 

Two days later, after practice, Rivers said he expected McDaniels to play in Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. McDaniels was questionable, but he didn’t get the nod to go.

Will that be the case again on Friday? It seems the situation is trending in that direction.

On Thursday afternoon, the Sixers kept McDaniels listed as questionable on the injury report. While McDaniels was considered a “partial participant” in Friday morning’s shootaround, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, which wasn't a sure sign he’s on pace to return on Friday.

If McDaniels were to get the nod to play, it would mark the first time he plays at the Spectrum Center since the Hornets’ February 5 home game against the Orlando Magic. Just a few days following that outing, McDaniels was traded to the Sixers in the four-team deal that included former Sixers defensive standout, Matisse Thybulle.

Since debuting with the Sixers, McDaniels has appeared in 13 games. Averaging 16 minutes, McDaniels has produced six points per game, four rebounds per game, and one steal per game while hitting on 50 percent of his twos and 27 percent of his threes.

The Sixers and the Hornets are set to begin their matchup at 7 PM on Friday.

According to Pompey at The Inquirer, McDaniels is not expected to play. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.