Charlotte Hornets: Dwayne Bacon has the opportunity to shine in summer league
Dwayne Bacon isn’t Dwyane Wade but the Charlotte Hornets’ second-round pick has the chance to make a name for himself at the Orlando Pro Summer League.
Only one of the Charlotte Hornets‘ two draft picks will take part in summer league this year. Malik Monk is slated to miss out on those five games in Orlando this year due to a sprained left ankle. That leaves second-round pick Dwayne Bacon in the spotlight with an interesting opportunity.
The much-anticipated debut of Monk in a Hornets’ (summer league) jersey will have to wait. As for Bacon, the 6’5 small forward is now primed to be the team’s biggest prospect in Orlando. Of all the players on Charlotte’s roster, Dwayne arguably has the most to prove as he’s never played a professional game before.
Even though Briante Weber, Treveon Graham and Johnny O’Bryant on the team, the rookie out of Florida State is the more intriguing prospect. After a year or two in the league, those three players have already mad ea name for themselves as serviceable backups. As for Bacon, he is still a mystery.
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So what makes Dwayne such an intriguing prospect?
Because of his ability to put the ball in the basket. During Bacon’s sophomore year in college, he was the leading scorer for the Seminoles as he put up 17.2 points per game while shooting 51.6% from two, 33.3% from three and 75.4% from the free throw line. He even outscored the Jonathan Isaac who was the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
While there is no doubting his scoring ability, he still has a lot to prove on the defensive end of the floor. He has the size and length to be a decent scorer in the league but it remains to be seen if he can defend and create for others.
The Hornets could use more scoring, especially from wing players. But that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed a spot on the team’s roster for the 2017-18 season, There is a good chance that Dwayne could end up in the D-League with the Greensboro Swarm.
Although, if he is able to not only score consistently and efficiently in the summer league but also show a willingness to defend at a high level and play within the offesnse, he could make a real impact and impress Charlotte’s coaching staff. Doing those things would give him an outside shot at earning a roster spot.
There isn’t a lot of pressure on Bacon as he was a low-risk investment for the Hornets. He was only a mid-second round pick and no one expects much from him. He could easily surprise a few and help make a name for himself in Orlando. This will be his first shot to showcase that his skillset and that he has what it takes to succeed at the next level against professional players.
Factor in that Monk is out and that makes this opportunity all the more perfect for Bacon.
Next: Malik Monk was an absolute steal at No. 11
The Charlotte Hornets must’ve seen something special in the Florida native if they used their only second round pick on him. Considering that his contract is not guaranteed (and it remains to be seen if he’s signed one yet ), this summer league will mean a lot for Dwayne. It could make or break the future of his NBA career.