Hornets coach Byron Scott told reporters Monday that Peja Stojakovic will miss a large portion of the season after undergoing major back surgery Sunday.

The rest of the Hornets weren't sounding too optimistic about the team's biggest offseason free agent acquisition, either.

"That's a tough surgery dealing with your back,'' said backup point guard Bobby Jackson. "Can he [Stojakovic] be the same player, 'Yes.' But it's not going to be over the amount of time that we want it to be. It won't be this season, so that's probably going to be the frustrating thing for him and this team. But you have to take the bad with the good. We've got to step up as players."