Charlotte Hornets: Is it time to bench Terry Rozier for Malik Monk?
With the starting unit lacking production at times, it may be time for the Charlotte Hornets to switch things up.
The Charlotte Hornets have had a lot of issues as of late, and one them is the play from their starting unit. With the way this team is built, the Hornets cannot continue to play two point-guards in their starting unit.
I am a huge fan of Terry Rozier, but I think the combination of him and Devonte’ Graham on the floor together does not work well. Having two ball-handlers starting has caused the Hornets to commit too many turnovers, and has taken shots away from other players.
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To me, Rozier would be exceptional as the sixth man of this team. His play is too dominant for bench players to handle, and he would play well with Hornets’ rookie Cody Martin if both are on the floor longer together.
If the Hornets bench Rozier, this would give Malik Monk the first chance in his career to start. While it’s clear that the Hornets season is going to get tougher down the road, there’s no hurt in trying this out.
Monk has improved from last season, as he’s averaging 9.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Monk has a lot he still needs to improve upon, but starting could give him that extra fire.
This may be an unpopular decision, but I think Monk can improve his three-point shot as well. Monk is currently shooting 27% from three so far this season, which is a career-low.
However, Monk has played in 170 career games, and the fact that he’s not started yet is ridiculous. As a lottery pick in the 2017 draft, Monk came into the league hoping for more of an opportunity than he’s getting with Charlotte.
The Hornets lack a true shooting guard in their starting lineup, and Monk would be able to find easy baskets while playing next to Graham. Graham is currently averaging 7.7 assists per game.
Rozier has not been the best at passing this season, as he’s currently averaging 4.4 assists and 2.7 turnovers per game. Rozier would have more opportunities coming off of the bench with Cody Martin, Marvin Williams, and Cody Zeller.
With Rozier coming off of the bench, the team could finally have a balanced starting and bench unit. Rozier is a great scorer, and I think his numbers could go up if he’s coming off of the bench for the Hornets.
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With the season closing in on the midway mark, will the Hornets ever see any new players in the starting unit? If the Hornets decide to make a rotational change, I think moving Rozier to the bench would be the most beneficial decision for the team.