Charlotte Hornets fall to Chicago Bulls in Summer League
The Charlotte Hornets, playing on less than 24 hours of rest after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday evening, suffered an 89-73 loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. Rookie guard Bryce McGowens led the way with 15 points while second-year forward JT Thor contributed 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. While this was the end of Charlotte’s known Summer League schedule, they will still participate in a consolation game on either Saturday or Sunday. Per the NBA, the opponents for these matchups will be based on multiple factors; existing rivalries between teams, potential broadcast interest, and the avoidance of back-to-backs will all play a part in determining Charlotte’s final opponent.
As has been the case for much of Summer League, Charlotte had difficulty from three-point range, shooting just 23.5% from beyond the arc compared to Chicago’s 36.8% mark. Although the Hornets made one more three-pointer than the Bulls, it took them an additional 15 attempts to do so. McGowens in particular had a rough shooting night, making just one of his seven attempts from three-point range. His 14.3% three-point mark was his worst clip in any of Charlotte’s Summer League games. Kai Jones, who drew the ire of some fans by going 0-10 from three-point range in the Summer League opener, attempted his first attempts from beyond the arc since that matchup. While Jones at least managed to make one of his four attempts tonight, it is clear that the three-point shot is not a part of his offensive arsenal yet.
Turnovers continue to be an issue for Charlotte, as they had as many giveaways (16) as assists in this matchup. The Hornets have 67 total assists through four games compared to 71 total turnovers. Jalen Crutcher, tasked with being Charlotte’s primary point guard, racked up a team-high five turnovers en route to a team-worst -14 plus-minus. The lack of assists is also a concern, as the Hornets have registered fewer assists than their opponent in every Summer League matchup so far. Charlotte’s continued struggles with turnovers as well as a lack of offensive facilitation is not incredibly surprising given that James Bouknight and Scottie Lewis, both expected to be primary contributors for the Summer League roster, are missing due to injury. However, it does reinforce the notion that the Hornets need to explore making a move for a more established backup point guard to operate the offense when LaMelo Ball is not on the court.
Charlotte will have the chance to end Summer League on a high note
Although tonight was a sobering reminder of the developmental nature of Summer League, the Hornets will have the opportunity to right the ship in their consolation matchup before leaving Las Vegas. If they can win their final game, Charlotte would secure their first winning record in the Summer League since 2018.