Roy Hibbert was one of the most pursued players in the NBA this offseason.  The Indiana Pacers wanted him back and landed him with a max deal, thinking they would help tip the scales of competitiveness in their favor by solidifying their center position for years to come.  However, Hibbert has struggled this season.  He is far from the player he was in years past, and part of the reason could be his wrist.

D.J. Foster of NBC Sports' ProBasketball Talk suggests that weakness in Hibbert's wrist may be affecting his game.  Hibbert suffered a wrist injury last season, and Foster believes the injury may be lingering enough to cause problems with Hibbert's production.  He cites an interview Howard gave with Yahoo! Sports and a detailed analysis of Hibbert's hook shot production - his go to move and one that would be most affected by an injured wrist.


Hibbert has averaged 11.0 points per game in his career.  He has also averaged 47.3% shooting.  So far this season, Hibbert is averaging 9.3 points per game and a terribly poor 39.9% from the floor.  Quite simply, he is missing shots he wouldn't have missed in the past.

The Pacers are hanging in there despite Hibbert's struggles.  They are 17-13 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.  Indiana made the playoffs last year and were surprisingly good.  Hibbert has spent his entire career in Indiana and bringing him back after he flirted with free agency was supposed to be one of the keys toward another successful run.  The Pacers are still finding success, but they will need more production from Hibbert going forward.
Follow @hoopsinjurynews