Hairston sprained his right ankle Monday against the Mavericks, resulting in his removal from the game.

Hairston was left out of the rotation until the fourth game of the season, but in eight outings -- including Monday -- he's been a three-point demon, knocking down 10 on his way to 5.4 points in 14 minutes per contest. As long as he's absent, if it all, Brian Roberts is poised to earn more run than normal in the Hornets' backcourt.

Hairston will return to the bench for Monday's game against the Mavericks, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports.

Hairston notched a pair of starts over the weekend, getting the nod over Gerald Henderson with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (foot) sidelined. He played 17 minutes against the Suns, scoring a career-high nine points and connecting on 2-of-4 three-point attempts. In 18 minutes against Golden State on Saturday, Hairston managed just three points (1-2 FG, 1-1 3Pt). He'll return to the bench Monday, as coach Steve Clifford will give the veteran Henderson, a much better defender, the starting nod.

Hairston will get the start Friday against the Suns, the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell reports.

The Hornets are incredibly banged up, with Lance Stephenson and Gary Neal questionable Friday and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out. Hairston is a capable scorer and should be a fine option in daily leagues considering how many minutes he is likely to get.

Hairston is averaging 14.3 minutes over three games this season.

Hairston won't likely have a significant role with Charlotte during his rookie season, although he may be someone to keep an eye on over the next few years. As for now, he's only an option in the deepest of leagues.

Hornets rookie P.J. Hairston scored a game-high 27 points in a losing effort on Sunday, as Charlotte was eliminated in the semifinals of the Las Vegas Summer League.

Assistant coach Patrick Ewing said this week that Hairston "has the ability to be a rotational player in the NBA," and he has a chance to carve out a bench role during the regular season. He made three 3-pointers with seven rebounds and one steal in Sunday's game, but will need to improve his shot selection -- through six games he was shooting a mere 32.3 percent from the field.

P.J. Hairston lead the Hornets with 21 points in Charlotte's win over New Orleans on Thursday.

Hairston also managed to grab two rebounds, dish out three assists, block a shot, and have two steals. He showed a smooth shooting stroke, hitting four three-pointers and going 8-of-16 from the field. He clearly has found an offensive rhythm in the past four games, averaging 19.8 points per contest.

Hornets' assistant coach Patrick Ewing talked about what he's seen so far from the Hornets No. 26 pick in the 2014 draft, P.J. Hairston.

"He has the ability to be a rotational player in the NBA," Ewing said. "Right now, it's a work in progress. He has abilities. The mistakes that he's making right now, he's not going to be able to make them when the season starts because if he does, he won't play." Hairston is a gunner, and the Hornets could use his perimeter game, but he'll need to prove that he can be a professional both on, and off the court if he wants to earn a spot in the rotation.

P.J. Hairston had a one-man 3-point contest vs. the Kings on Sunday, making 6-of-13 from beyond the arc for 22 points with one rebound, no assists, one steal, one block and seven fouls.

He didn't seem interested in passing and had a total shooting line of 6-of-20 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. Hairston has a sweet stroke and he's definitely proven he can score, but he'll need to add a little more to his game to be a factor in the early going.

Hornets rookie P.J. Hairston shot 2-of-16 from the field in his Summer League debut, while playing questionable defense.

"I just had an off game. I think it will be a lot better next time after I get a feel for the game," Hairston said. He's already caused a few waves since being drafted by Charlotte, first by getting into a fight with a high-school senior during a pickup game and then swapping cars with troubled Browns receiver Josh Gordon. Hairston will look to take a step in the right direction when the Hornets play the Kings in Las Vegas on Sunday.

P.J. Hairston said he met Browns receiver Josh Gordon at a grocery store in North Carolina and chose to swap cars for the night.

This isn't really a huge deal or anything, but it's not a great sign to see Hairston hanging with Gordon. The Browns receiver has been in trouble throughout his career and his days in the NFL could be over after turning in one of the most impressive seasons for a receiver in NFL history. As for Hairston, this just goes as another red flag.

Hornets rookie P.J. Hairston faces misdemeanor charges of assault and battery stemming from a fight with a high school senior during a pickup basketball game.

Initial reports indicated that the high schooler, Kentrell Barkley, threw the first punch. Hairston is accused of having "punched [Barkley] twice in the head," and he'll appear in court on August 8. Hairston hasn't publicly commented but he did quote Benjamin Franklin on Twitter, writing, "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see."

Hornets rookie P.J. Hairson was involved in an altercation with a high school senior during a pickup game at a YMCA on Sunday.

The high schooler involved threw a punch first, according to Yahoo! Sports, and it's unclear how far the situation escalated. The Hornets are aware of the incident, according to Hairston's agent, but they have yet to comment. Assuming Hairston was defending himself, it's unlikely he'd be punished by the NBA or Charlotte.

Coach Steve Clifford said the Hornets "did a ton of intel" on P.J. Hairston before taking him with the 26th pick in the draft.

Hairston lost his NCAA eligibility for marijuana possession, driving without a license and also for taking too many benefits. After UNC his career shifted to the Texas Legends in the D-League, where he was able to score 21.8 points per game and looked the part of a go-to scorer. If Hairston keeps his nose clean, he could have an impact off the bench in his first season.