Charlotte Hornets: Frank Kaminsky worthy of rotation minutes

Since entering the Charlotte Hornets rotation in late November, Frank Kaminsky has proven his worth to the team.

It was a real tough start to the season for Frank Kaminsky, who was buried on the Charlotte Hornets bench, not getting any playing time. However, things have changed, injuries have struck, and Frank the Tank is back in the Hornets rotation, where he belongs at this point.

During a game on the 21st of last month against Indiana, Kaminsky got his first real shot at minutes this season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Willy Hernangomez were out with injury, so Kaminsky stepped up and scored 11 points off the bench.

He made an impact that night, and helped the Charlotte Hornets knock off a tough Pacers team. Since that game, Kaminsky has been a consistent piece to the Hornets rotation.

With Marvin Williams currently out with a strained shoulder, the Charlotte Hornets will continue to look for production from Frank off the bench. In two December games thus far, Kaminsky is averaging 23.5 minutes, scoring 14.5 points and grabbing 3.0 rebounds.

https://twitter.com/HornetsOnFSSE/status/1070512622942871553

He’s in the fourth year of his rookie contract, and will be a free agent at the end of the season. This has been a good stretch for Kaminsky, who is trying to not only prove to the Hornets that he belongs, but to the entire NBA that he belongs. His future in Charlotte was previously in doubt, but maybe that’s changed with his recent play.

In today’s NBA, having a big like Kaminsky that can stretch the floor and knock down three-point shots at a consistent rate is huge. Other than Marvin Williams, he’s the only big on the roster that is a legitimate threat from downtown. That floor spacing gives guys like Kemba Walker and Tony Parker room to operate.

With that three-point shooting Kaminsky possesses, he may be coveted by numerous teams in free agency during the summer.

The problem with Frank throughout his career has been consistency and rebounding. While he has been pretty consistent this season, the rebounding is still a legit concern, especially for a 7’0″ center.

Regardless, Kaminsky has looked pretty darn good so far this season, and has earned his rotation spot. Maybe he hasn’t had the NBA career that a lot of people thought he would at this point, but he’s still a solid role player that figures to have a very long NBA career.

Time will tell if his future remains in Charlotte, but like I said earlier, he’s on a good stretch right now, and may be playing himself into the Charlotte Hornets plans moving forward.