Midseason report card: grading every Hornets player’s performance at All-Star break
By Ben Handler
Nick Richards, Grade: A-
Richards has been a major positive for the Hornets this year and has shown he’ll have a place in this league for a long time. He’s a hard-working, hard-nosed old fashioned big man. He doesn’t stretch the floor, but he’s a solid rim runner and someone who can play above the rim.
Richards has done everything the Hornets could have asked and more in the absence of Mark Williams, putting up almost 10 points and 8 rebounds a night in just under 26 minutes, shooting 69% from the floor. In fact, he played so well that the Hornets had to consider selling high on him at the trade deadline.
He also brings great energy on the defensive end and has given the team much-needed rim protection, averaging 1.3 blocks a game. He’s also shown some fire and a competitive edge that is a welcome sight for Hornets fans.
Ideally, he’d be a great backup big when Mark Williams is healthy, but he may even be overqualified for that role. But Richards is just 25 years old and has another year on his contract at $5 million, then a team option for $5 million for the 2025-26 season.
That’s looking like an absolute steal and whether it’s for the Hornets or not, Richards will definitely be an asset going forward.