Charlotte Hornets Camp Update: Joe Chealey, Josh Perkins latest to hit waivers

The Charlotte Hornets training camp roster is down to 18 players after the team decided to waive guards Joe Chealey and Josh Perkins.

Roster moves keep on coming for the Charlotte Hornets. After waiving Thomas Welsh and signing Jalen McDaniels on Thursday, the team has now announced that they have waived both Joe Chealey and Josh Perkins, bringing the roster down to 18 players.

You can bring a maximum of 20 players in training camp, but can only carry 15 true roster spots going into the regular season, along with two two-way players. Charlotte will still have to waive one more player prior to the start of the season.

The last cut will come down to Caleb Martin, Jalen McDaniels and Kobi Simmons. If preseason play means anything, Martin looks like he clearly deserves a spot on the roster, so I’d be surprised if he gets waived.

Martin, McDaniels and Simmons are all young and all offer something different. McDaniels probably has the most potential of the three, but he’s very raw and is the least NBA ready of the three.

Assuming they both clear waivers, don’t be surprised to see one of or both Chealey and Perkins suit up for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G-League affiliate, during the 2019-20 season.

Last season, Chealey was on a Two-Way contract with the Hornets. He only appeared in one game with the big club, but made an impression with his play in Greensboro before going down with a season ending knee injury.

Chealey averaged 16.3 points, 3.7 rebound and 5.3 assists for the Swarm during the 2018-19 season.

Perkins, meanwhile, went undrafted in 2019 after a great four-year career at Gonzaga. He played for the Hornets in Summer League and turned that into a training camp invitation. If he does play for the Swarm, he’ll certainly be a player to watch.

Perkins averaged 11.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists for Gonzaga during his senior season in 2018-19.

Chealey appeared in one preseason game for the Charlotte Hornets, with Perkins appearing in two games. Chealey averaged 1.0 points and 2.0 rebounds, and Perkins averaged 1.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

I think both Chealey and Perkins have NBA upside; Chealey in particular. They must keep their heads up moving forward, because they both have the talent to play in the league.

More roster moves are on the horizon for the Charlotte Hornets. It will be interesting to see who makes the team. Considering this is a rebuilding season in Charlotte, opportunity will be available up-and-down the roster.