Charlotte Hornets’ standouts at the Orlando Pro Summer League

Dwayne Bacon was among a few players who stood out for the Charlotte Hornets while at the Orlando Pro Summer League.

The Charlotte Hornets took a strong squad to the Orlando Pro Summer League but they only managed to finish in fifth place. They went 3-2 in their five games defeated the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Orlando Magic while falling to the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.

Although, these games are more than just about the results as the front office and coaching staff are working hard to get a better look at their young players. Among the big names on Charlotte’s team were Briante Weber, Johnny O’Bryant, Treveon Graham and Dwayne Bacon. The rest of the roster was rounded out by undrafted rookies and free agent players who played in the D-League or overseas last year.

While there were a few good games by Anthony Gill and Kris Joseph, only three players really stood out and made a name for themselves in the summer league for Charlotte.

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Treveon Graham

The VCU product was the Hornets’ best and most consistent player in Orlando. He originally went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft and after a year in the D-League, he spent last season on Charlotte’s bench. Graham’s worked hard to improve his game and it showed in the summer league.

The wing player made his mark by being a tough defender. Now he’s added a three-point shot and the ability to be a scoring threat on the offensive end. Treveon also put on a lot of muscle this offseason and it showed. He came in with more strength and an improved offensive game.

Unfortunately, a hamstring injury limited him to playing in only three of the team’s five summer league games. Still, the 23-year old managed to put up 17.7 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals. He led the team in scoring and rebounding while shooting 47.4% from the field and 40% from three.

With the way that he played during the summer league, Graham most likely secured himself a spot on the team’s final 15-man roster for next season. Although there wasn’t a lot of hype surrounding him heading into the SL, Treveon made it clear that he was the Hornets’ best player there and he deserves at least limited rotation minutes in 2017-18.

Johnny O’Bryant

Like Graham, O’Braynt was with the Hornets’ roster to end last season. He only played in four games because of an ankle injury but the team saw enough in him to sign him to a multi-year deal and give him another chance to prove himself in the summer league. The big man made the most of his opportunity.

The 24-year old was the best big man on Charlotte’s summer league team. O’Bryant’s energy and hustle play is the reason the team kept him around but in Orlando, he was able to offer much more than that. He showed an extended offensive capability with his back to the basket game and shooting range.

In five summer league games, Johnny averaged 16.4 points (second on team), 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He managed to shoot 45.2% from the field and even showed off his range knocking down a few three-point attempts. In his final two appearances, he had a 26-point, four rebound game and a 23-point, five board outing to finish on a high note.

Considering that the LSU product is the team’s fifth big man under contract and Rich Cho said that they’d like to add a sixth to their roster, there is a good chance that O’Bryant has earned a roster spot for next year.

Dwayne Bacon

Bacon was the only player who played for the Hornets’ summer league team this year that was actually drafted by Charlotte (acquired in a draft night trade if you want to be technical). After it was announced that Monk would miss the summer league, all eyes were on Dwayne. The second round pick made his professional debut and was impressive in doing so.

The Florida State product made a strong first impression with his new team as his scoring ability was on full display. Even though he struggled to shoot the ball from deep at times, Bacon’s athleticism and ability to get to the rim/create space for midrange jumpers made him a surefire standout in Orlando.

The 21-year old managed to put up 15.4 points per game (third on team), 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist while shooting 41.8% from the field and 100% (19-19) from the free throw line. Despite a slow start, Dwayne exploded in the final game with 29 points and eight rebounds.

To really break into Steve Clifford’s rotation, Bacon will need to improve his defense and shot selection. Still, there is promise surrounding the young man and his great play was rewarded with a three-year contract.

Next: Hornets to target sixth big and third PG

It’s worth noting that Briante Weber underperformed a bit in Orlando. Aside from one 17-point game and a 16-point outing, he was surprisingly quiet. His roster spot is less secure and he didn’t help his case much but I still expect him to be the team’s third-string point guard next year because of how well he played to end last season. Even though there were only five games, we did get a good look at Graham, O’Bryant and Bacon. All three showed promise with their play.