Charlotte Hornets: Development timelines for each rookie
A month has now passed since the Charlotte Hornets ushered in four rookies in their 2021 draft class. The past month has familiarized Hornets fans with their new talent, getting a chance to see all four players during the Las Vegas Summer League. While expectations may be high for select rookies, it will likely take some time until the Hornets fully thrust them into the rotation.
Not every player is ready to contribute on day one, and this article will highlight timelines for Charlotte’s four rookies as they gear up to refine their skills and become full-time contributors for the Hornets.
James Bouknight will contribute immediately but shouldn’t be expected to be a full-time starter for a few years.
Out of the four, James Bouknight is the most likely to be ready to contribute on day one. He may not see a ton of minutes right out of the gate, but Charlotte will need to fill the hole left at the guard position with the departures of Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk. Ish Smith was brought in to be the backup point guard in replace of Graham, but Monk’s spark scoring off the bench needs to be addressed.
That’s where Bouknight comes in. As a player who is already thought of as a solid three-level scorer, the hope is that he can immediately fill that hole left by Monk on the bench. While that’s what Bouknight’s rookie season will look like, his development as a player will hopefully help him reach new heights.
On Aug. 19, Terry Rozier inked a max contract to stay in Charlotte for four more years. Rozier was about to enter the final year of his contract and it was thought that Bouknight was drafted to be his direct replacement. This could be a sign that the Charlotte staff think Bouknight is a little further away in his development than we initially thought.
The last year of Rozier’s new contract, 2025-26, is non-guaranteed and is also the year that Bouknight will be a restricted free agent. This means that he will be eligible to receive the qualifying offer or a long-term extension. Securing Rozier until then means that Charlotte wants him to hold down the starting shooting guard position until Bouknight is ready to secure the spot.
This doesn’t mean that Bouknight won’t start until 2025. If he develops into a better player than Rozier before that year, which is the hope, then he will start. However, it gives Charlotte a comfortable cushion, a potentially elite scorer off the bench if Bouknight wins the job, and the contract is tradeable as contending teams will always be looking for the skills that Rozier brings to the court.