Hedo Türkoğlu injury: Magic forward out indefinitely to strengthen hand, improve conditioning

Reserve forward Hedo Türkoğlu won't take the floor for the Orlando Magic on Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, and he could miss "an extended period."

Türkoğlu broke his left (non-dominant) hand on November 2nd against the Denver Nuggets and underwent surgery the following day, during which procedure doctors inserted a metal plate and several screws into his hand. Türkoğlu then sat for 28 games in order to recover from the surgery, but it turns out he may have come back too quickly.

"In a sign of the discomfort he’s in, he often tests the hand by balling it into a fist and then straightening it," Robbins says. "His conditioning also has been an issue recently because there was a period during his recovery when he didn’t do any cardiovascular work."

Türkoğlu did not play in Orlando's loss in Denver on Wednesday and logged just five minutes in Monday's defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In five appearances since returning to the lineup, Türkoğlu is shooting 25 percent from the field and averaging 3.6 points, three rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His absence will open up more playing time for rookies DeQuan Jones and Maurice Harkless.

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