What Terry Rozier’s contract extension means for the Charlotte Hornets

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Charlotte Hornets and Terry Rozier have agreed to a four-year, $97 million max contract extension. The contract means Rozier will be a part of Charlotte’s future through the 2025-26 season.

Rozier had a fantastic 2020-21 season, averaging 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He also ranked fifth in 3-pointers made in the NBA.

With Rozier entering the final year of his contract the Hornets have decided to reward the shot maker with a max deal.  At 27 years old, Rozier is just hitting the prime of his career, and the Hornets front office is banking on him to continue to improve and be a leader for this young Hornets squad.

Last season, Rozier became a go-to scorer for the Hornets and was instrumental in the playoff push. If it was a close game and the clock was winding down, the ball was in Rozier’s hands. What he did at times last season with the ball in his hands was truly unbelievable.

This contract could come as a surprise to some with the Hornets recently drafting a guard in James Bouknight. Tying Rozier down for the next four years while Bouknight continues his development could have become a necessity. The last year of Rozier’s contract is the season that Charlotte can offer Bouknight and Kai Jones the qualifying offer.

With the Hornets not making any big moves in free agency this season, fans may have thought that Charlotte may be saving up for future classes when the Hornets are ready to truly compete for a championship. It’s known that Charlotte isn’t exactly a hot spot for free-agent destinations and although that perception may be changing, Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak has recently talked about planning to work within the rules of extending their own players; extending Rozier now certainly fits that bill.  Being able to sign Rozier, who has now proved that he can be an elite shot-maker in the NBA is a great move for a mid-market team like Charlotte.

The Hornets are putting everything they have into player development and hoping that they drafted another star this offseason. Hopefully, this plan can come to fruition.