Who are the players to watch this summer for the Charlotte Hornets? What does the new coaching staff have in store for the young core?
July in the NBA is a time when major free agents make big decisions about their playing future. It’s also the time in which the fans get their first professional look at the new crop of rookies. The Charlotte Hornets don’t have cap space so most Hornets fans are looking forward to seeing their new additions for the first time.
This year will mark the first time that all 30 teams will participate in the Las Vegas summer league. The Charlotte Hornets, whom previously participated in the Orlando Summer league are sending five of their key young players to participate. Fans of the team will undoubtedly be hoping for a breakout performance from one or more of their young guys. Here we will preview some of the biggest things to watch with the Hornets summer league team.
The Rookies
Hornets fans will first be excited to get their first looks at Miles Bridges, Devonte Graham, and Arnoldas Kulboka.
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Miles Bridges, their first-round pick (via trade) is an explosive combo forward. Bridges has a versatile skill set, high motor, and mature approach to the game. Check out some of the current strengths and weakness Miles will look to improve on over the summer.
Devonte Graham is an NC native out of Raleigh. He is a four-year player who can offensively play on and off the ball. A pesky defender, Graham shot over 40% from deep during his college career and really showed off his playmaking ability his senior season.
Arnoldas Kulbolka is one of only seven European players selected in the 2018 draft. He’s a 20-year-old 6’9″ forward who can shoot and handle the ball. He will likely get minutes in the new Hornets system this summer but will play in Europe this regular season.
The Sophomores
Malik Monk had a very up and down season struggling with shot selection and defending at the NBA level. The light bulb seemed to go off at the end of the season, however. Monk averaged 20.4 ppg on 48% from the field and 41.3% from three over the final five games of the season. Look for Monk and Graham to play significant minutes alongside each other in the summer league.
Dwayne Bacon also had an up and down rookie campaign. Bacon struggled with efficiency shooting under 38% from the field but showed some promise receiving six starts primarily due to injuries to other Hornets wing players. Bacon will try and improve on his offensive efficiency and defensive consistency along with the other young players with the Hornets.
Willy Hernangomez
It’s rare for a player entering his third NBA season who already has an NBA contract to participate in summer league but Willy Hernangomez is set to do just that.
Willy came in a mid-season trade for two future second-round picks. Hernangomez didn’t receive consistent playing time but that should change with the Dwight Howard trade. He also declined the opportunity to play for the Spanish national team in order to play with the club saying a lot about his commitment to the team.
The New Hornets Identity
New Coach James Borrego recently stated he would like to give a significant portion of minutes to the players under contract. He wants to build synergy with the young core and get them familiar with the new offensive and defensive schemes. Borrego recently stated he would like quicker decisions and more ball movement on offense.
“You’re going to hear us talking about making the right read, making the right play: We want to go from good shots to great shots… When somebody is open, I expect our players to make the right play to move the ball to the open man. That’s how you go from a good shot to a great shot… I don’t want to see one guy pounding the ball for 15 to 20 seconds. We’re going to have defenses scrambling…” (CharlotteObserver.com)
Those quotes show that the Hornets don’t want to depend so heavily on the Kemba Walker pick and roll next season. This summer will go a long way in developing a more balanced offense and building a foundation on a core that can hopefully compete in the east in the future.
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Charlotte’s first game will be against the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 6th with their second game versus the Miami Heat on July 8th and their third game on July 9th against the Boston Celtics. Depending on how they do in those three opening games, the Hornets could make it to the knockout/playoff round of the Las Vegas Summer League.