Dwayne Bacon’s sizzling summer league for the Charlotte Hornets

Based on his impressive summer league performances, the Charlotte Hornets may have found a steal with second-round pick Dwayne Bacon.

Recently signed second-round pick Dwayne Bacon absolutely torched the competition in his summer league showcase. The Charlotte Hornets‘ rookie took advantage of his increased role due to the absence of fellow rookie Malik Monk.

Wow, Dwane Bacon was absolutely electric during his five games played in the summer league. Many people thought the Charlotte Hornets got the steal of the draft in Malik Monk, but it appears they may have gotten two steals.

Admittedly, I questioned the trade back to acquire Bacon but he has proved me wrong. He averaged 15.4 ppg (42% 2pt and 20% 3pt) 4.2 RPG and 1 APG during the Orlando Summer League. Not to mention that he shot 100% from the free throw line (19-19). His performance was capitalized by his 29-point, eight rebound outing in his final outing.

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Bacon was exuding confidence all week long as he displayed his versatility on the offensive end. People were critical of his outside shooting, however, his midrange and penetration more than make up for it.

He is not overly athletic but he has exceptional body control and understands how to change the pace of his game. This was on full display as he diced up the OrlandoMagic on an array of layups, floaters, and step back jumpers.

All of this needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The Summer League is not necessarily indicative of how a rookie will perform during the regular season. There are reasons that Bacon fell to the second round. Primarily they include his tunnel vision on offense, his lack of three point shooting, and his lapses on defense.

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However, he landed in an ideal spot where Steve Clifford can teach him the nuances of NBA defense and utilize his length. It’s not likely that he will start but he should see significant minutes with the bench unit. He might even give Jeremy Lamb a run for his money. Bacon is sizzling right now and everyone is invited to the cookout.