Kelly Oubre Jr. proving to be pivotal for Charlotte Hornets’ success

When the Charlotte Hornets lost guards Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk in free agency this past summer, there were some questions about who would step up in the depth roles that those two provided the last few seasons.

Graham and Monk combined for an average of over 25 points per game for Charlotte last year, and even though they were both very streaky and inconsistent, the losses took away some major depth for a young Hornets team.

While there was a pressing need for a reliable big man this summer, general manager Mitch Kupchak’s biggest free agent move was signing small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. to a two-year, $26 million deal.

Through the first 26 games of the season, Oubre has proven to be the perfect fit for this Hornets team and has filled the void of Graham and Monk almost all by himself.

At 25-years-old, Oubre had already played for three different teams in his first six NBA seasons, most recently with the Golden State Warriors, but was still a well-respected player with plenty of explosiveness and promise.

His biggest downfall had been his streaky shooting and negative assists to turnover ratio, but Oubre has improved greatly so far in Charlotte in this regard and has provided a much-needed spark off the bench.

In the Hornets’ last seven games, Oubre has scored 20 or more points in six of those games, including a 35-point performance while starting Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, with starting guards Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball out in health and safety protocols.

Oubre hasn’t been perfect this season, with some poor shooting games and questionable shot-making and turnover decisions, but the biggest reason for his success so far is his shooting improvement.

Oubre is shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from the 3-point line, which is both career-highs. Additionally, he is committing the least amount of turnovers in his career since his second year in the NBA. He’s averaging 16.5 points per game.

The thing that Oubre has brought the most to this Hornets team is being a confident player that can score and give you a big game when Ball, Rozier, Miles Bridges, or Gordon Hayward are having an off night.

So far, Oubre has been just that. He can come off the bench, spot start, and be clutch, making Charlotte a much better team.

At this rate, the Hornets have gotten Oubre on a bargain of a deal.