Tony Parker’s first season with the Charlotte Hornets got off to a hot start, but cooled down significantly towards the end of the year.
To this very day, my eyes are still getting adjusted to seeing Tony Parker in a Charlotte Hornets jersey. Him leaving San Antonio never felt right, but he was a pleasure to watch in the eyes of Hornets fans in 2018-19.
Parker was a crucial piece in the Hornets rotation for most of the season, but did not play in the teams final 13 games after James Borrego made the decision to go younger in his rotation.
Rookie Devonte’ Graham received most of the backup point guard minutes during that stretch, and he looked pretty good on the court.
However, he’s no Tony Parker, and he never will be. Charlotte could have used some of his experience down the stretch of the season, in my opinion.
Prior to riding the bench, though, Parker was a great piece to the Charlotte Hornets. He provided stability, leadership and toughness. On the season, he averaged 9.5 points and 3.7 assists in just 17.9 minutes per game.
Coming over from the Spurs, along with Borrego, Parker was already familiar with Borrego’s coaching, and that likely made his transition easier. He fit right in to what the team was trying to do, and if they continue to be in ‘win-now’ mode, it’s easy to envision him on next seasons roster.
Parker was very good in clutch moments this season. His play off the bench down the stretch won the Hornets multiple games throughout the season, and that’s where his championship experience comes into play.
The guy just knows how to win basketball games. In a game against Brooklyn back on December 28th, Parker scored 17 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, propelling the Hornets to a bounce back win at home.
He’ll always have his deadly floater to go to late in the clock, and he’s also mastered the mid-range game. He’s not the best three-point shooter, but he’s got a ton of tricks in his bag and we’ve seen so many of them over the years.
At 36 years old, Parker showed that he can still contribute in the NBA. I’m not sure if he will be thinking about retirement this summer, but to me, it looks like he still has a lot left in the tank, despite suffering that brutal quad injury in 2017.
Final Grade
Parker ends up with B- and I think that’s a fair grade based on how he played when he was in the rotation. At one point, he played a huge role in the Hornets getting one game away from the NBA Playoffs.
Last summer, he signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the club. However, that contract is non-guaranteed up until July 3rd. If he is not waived by then, his contract for the 2019-20 season becomes guaranteed.
My guess is that his return to Charlotte is 50/50. If they bring Kemba Walker back in free agency and compete for a playoff spot next year, he’d be a great piece to have. If they are in rebuild mode, letting him go to a contender would be beneficial for both sides.
Parker is just as important off the court as he is on the court. The young players had to love learning from a future Hall of Famer like Tony Parker, and going up against him in practice. Overall, he played a big role for Charlotte, despite ending the season on such a low note.
Like I briefly mentioned earlier, it’s still weird seeing him in a Hornets jersey. While I love seeing players play for one team their entire career, Parker’s move to Charlotte was bold and a solid move for both parties.