Hornets' Jefferson out 2-3 weeks with strained left calf

Charlotte Hornets big man Al Jefferson will miss the next two-to-three weeks of action with a strained left calf, the team announced Monday.

The 30-year-old veteran underwent an MRI that confirmed the team's initial diagnosis.

Jefferson left Sunday's 87-82 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter with the injury. He was seen limping to the locker room shortly thereafter.

He picked up one personal foul, drilled one of his two free throw attempts, and grabbed one rebound before exiting.

In 17 appearances for the Hornets, Jefferson is averaging 13.7 points on 50 percent shooting from the field, along with 6.4 boards and 1.1 rejections.

His absence will mean an uptick in minutes for Spencer Hawes, Tyler Hansbrough, Cody Zeller, and rookie Frank Kaminsky.

The Hornets have been one of the league's biggest surprises to start the 2015-16 campaign, compiling a respectable 10-7 record with a fifth-ranked offense and 12th-ranked defense. Charlotte performs much better on the defensive end when Jefferson's not on the floor, though, allowing 9.4 fewer points per 100 possessions.

Related: Carolina reapers: Meet the Charlotte Hornets, offensive juggernaut

Jefferson will hit unrestricted free agency next summer after exercising his player option during the offseason. He's been unable to stay healthy, missing 10 or more games on six different occasions - which could hurt his value on the open market.

Nonetheless, the Hornets will miss his offensive presence in the middle over the coming weeks as head coach Steve Clifford searches for consistent production from his frontcourt to fill the void.