Over the course of the next two weeks, Hornets.com will be providing regular updates on all non-gamedays while the Charlotte Hornets take part in 2023 NBA Summer League play in both Sacramento and Las Vegas.
Day 12: Another Rally Comes Up Just Short vs. New Orleans (8:43 AM PT)
- Wipe away the 18-0 deficit the Hornets found themselves in to start Thursday night’s eventual 89-83 loss to New Orleans and they played a decent game, all things considered (83-71 advantage over the final 32 minutes). Alas, it’s a 40-minute contest of course, and the slow start clearly got Charlotte off on the wrong foot in this one.
- Both Brandon Miller and Kai Jones sat out the contest, a decision that was collectively made by the Hornets’ Summer League coaching staff and front office. “Kind of a combination from upstairs,” said Marlon Garnett. “They felt like they saw enough from those guys. It gives some of those other guys who have been with us since Day #1 to get some minutes. They deserve it. They’ve been working just like everybody else. Trying to get a look at some other people, that’s been the process and mindset between all of us.”
- Even without Miller and Jones, the Hornets had a fantastic showing on the glass and finished with a plus-13 rebounding differential (50-37; 16 offensive rebounds). James Nnaji led the way with 12 boards (also had four blocks), Leaky Black had eight off the bench and James Bouknight hauled in another seven.
- Speaking of Bouknight, he poured in a game-high 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting in the loss, giving himself a new Summer League career high. While the soon-to-be-third-year guard has had a tough go of things out in Las Vegas, hopefully having a big performance like this can boost his confidence and serve as something to build on moving forward.
- Charlotte’s 3-point shooting (40.3%; 13-of-32) nearly surpassed its efficiency from the free-throw line (44.4%; 8-of-18), marking an odd development after the team’s struggles from behind the arc to start Summer League. Missing 10 free throws plus New Orleans converting 24-of-32 (75%) from the line certainly looks more glaring afterwards in a six-point loss.
- Turnovers were also a major issue for the Hornets in this game, as they finished with a whopping 22 leading to 24 Pelicans’ points. Many of the giveaways were of the live-ball variety, which allowed New Orleans to get easier fast-break opportunities in transition.
- The Hornets will get one final chance to pick up a victory in their Summer League finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, July 15 beginning at 2:30 PM ET on NBA TV. Tomorrow’s opponent started off play in Las Vegas with a blowout win of New Orleans, but has since dropped three straight to Utah, Atlanta and Sacramento.
- Names to watch on the Timberwolves include Brandon Williams and Josh Minott, both of whom are averaging a team-high 17.3 points and shooting at least 45.0% from the field. Second-round rookie and Toronto native Leonard Miller (33rd overall pick) is right behind them with 16.0 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds, while former Charlotte Summer Leaguer DJ Carton leads the squad in both assists (6.8) and steals (2.5).
Day 10: Rounding the Halfway Point in Vegas (9:28 AM PT)
- Charlotte’s offense finally broke through in Tuesday night’s 97-93 loss to Portland, which featured 49% and 41% clips from the field and 3-point range, respectively. It’s a step in the right direction but getting the scoring going can’t come at the expense of neglecting the defense, which was a major factor early on in this one.
- Rookies Nick Smith Jr. (33) and Brandon Miller (26) combined for almost two-thirds of the Hornets’ points, with 16 of Smith’s coming in the fourth quarter courtesy of some creative and crafty off-the-dribble shot-making. Per RealGM.com, the last and only other Charlotte player to score 33 points in a Summer League contest was Byron Mullens on July 17, 2012, when he dropped 33 in an 81-78 win over Minnesota.
- Miller showcased a little bit of everything offensively and it was easy to tell why the Hornets are so high on his future potential. His performance included instances of scoring through contact, in transition, off catch-and-shoot attempts, off the dribble – all of it was impressive and exciting to see from the 20-year-old wing.
- Any game that’s only decided by a few points makes the possession game that much more magnified and unfortunately, that’s what ultimately bit the Hornets against Portland. They committed 16 turnovers for 18 points the other way and surrendered 14 offensive rebounds leading to a 20-7 Blazers advantage in second-chance scoring. A couple more defensive boards and a few less turnovers might have been the difference.
- Smith accounted for six of the 16 turnovers, something he touched on after the game. “I have to watch film and cut the turnovers for sure. Six is a lot of turnovers. Cutting those, being smarter down the stretch, getting more stops down the stretch, leading the team more, that’s what I need to build on.”
- Charlotte’s next outing will be against New Orleans on Thursday, July 13 beginning at 7:30 PM ET on NBA TV. The Pelicans are 2-1 in Las Vegas so far and coming off an 82-73 victory over Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon, which featured a team-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from undrafted rookie Tevian Jones out of Southern Utah University.
- A few more notable names on the Pelicans’ roster include Aussie Dyson Daniels (eighth overall pick in 2022), Croatian Karlo Matković (52nd pick in 2022) and Jordan Hawkins (14th pick in 2023). Former Greensboro Swarm point guard Jalen Crutcher and former NC State forward, now two-way player Dereon Seabron are also listed on the depth chart.
- It wouldn’t be totally surprising to see the second-year Daniels sit out the rest of Summer League, but the rookie Hawkins – a member of UConn’s National Championship team back in April – could still get some run. Regarded as one of the top sharpshooters in the 2023 NBA Draft, Hawkins has gotten off to a relatively slow start in Vegas with averages 13.0 points on 33.3% shooting and 22.7% from 3-point range (7.3 3PA).
Day 8: Practice Day After Game #2 in Vegas (11:15 AM PT)
- The margin for error is going to continue to be razor thin for the Hornets if their shot-making doesn’t come around soon. Through Sunday’s slate of games, they’re shooting a Summer League-worst 30.4% and 20.6% from 3-point range, which is the third-lowest mark of any team. For the most part though, the ball movement is there to start games, but tends to disappear the longer the shots go without dropping.
- One good statistic in this small two-game sample size is that Charlotte is tied with Denver for the fewest turnovers per game in Las Vegas (12.0). Eliminating (or at least, minimizing) the quick, contested shots – which can have the same negative impact as turnovers – should remain a heavy emphasis in order to generate quality possessions.
- Nick Smith Jr. is working on getting reacclimated to primary point guard duties after splitting time at this spot with lottery pick Anthony Black at Arkansas last season. “Before I got hurt, I was on the ball a lot and basically was playing point guard. Obviously, those injuries happened and set things back. Right now, I’m just trying to focus on handling the ball, figuring things out and learning as much as I can.”
- The Hornets will get another crack at getting their first Summer League win with tomorrow evening’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in June’s draft, had 13 points, five rebounds, and six assists before exiting with a shoulder injury in the second half of the team’s 100-99 loss to Houston on Friday night. Henderson missed Sunday’s outing against San Antonio and his availability for this battle with the Hornets is to be determined.
- Michael Devoe, a relatively unknown point guard who went undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2022, turned plenty of heads with a game-high 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting and five assists in an 85-80 victory over San Antonio on Sunday night. He spent last season playing for the G League’s Ontario Clippers and was recently selected by the Rip City Remix in the 2023-24 G League Expansion Draft.
- A few more Portland names to (potentially) watch out for include 2022 draftees Shaedon Sharpe (seventh) and Jabari Walker (57th), and incoming rookies Kris Murray (23rd) and Frenchman Rayan Rupert (43rd). Sharpe had 21 points against the Rockets, while Walker has double-doubled in both games, so far (averages: 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds).
Day 6: Practice Day after Game #1 in Las Vegas (11:02 AM PT)
- Much of the hype surrounding Charlotte’s game last night against San Antonio was about NBA fans getting to see the debut of 7-3 French center Victor Wembanyama, who is widely considered a generational-level prospect. While it didn’t result in a win, the Hornets limited the towering 19-year-old to only nine points on 2-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, four fouls, three turnovers and five blocks.
- “It was definitely fun,” said Brandon Miller afterwards, who had a 3-point attempt blocked by Wembanyama. “He’s a legit 7-3. Victor is a great guy, great off the court. He’s going to have a great career in the league. Just to see him step up to a challenge, I think that shows a lot of heart. I just see him as another basketball player.”
- Miller had a positive showing on both ends in this one, despite the 76-68 defeat. He finished with a team-high 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting – although it never felt like he was forcing anything – and only two turnovers (averaged 4.5 at the California Classic). Defensively, he utilized his length well without being overzealous, leading to 11 rebounds, three steals – one being a strip on a Wembanyama post-up – and a block.
- Hornets Summer League Head Coach Marlon Garnett tweaked the starting lineup for the first time since the team ventured out west, inserting Trevon Scott into the opening five in place of Bryce McGowens. After getting crushed on the glass in Sacramento, the adjustment paid immediate dividends, with Charlotte outrebounding the Spurs, 58-51.
- Even though Scott only had a pair of boards in the contest, simply having another bigger body out there can make a difference. Interestingly enough, Scott, who played 10 games for the Greensboro Swarm at the end of last season, also faced Wembanyama while playing for Fos Provence Basket in the French LNB Pro A League earlier in the year.
- Clearly, the biggest culprit in this grind-out loss to San Antonio was the Hornets shooting only 29.9% and 5-of-32 from 3-point range (15.6%). Summer League shot-making is usually spotty and for the most part, it feels like Charlotte is taking decent enough shots that just aren’t falling – yet. Eliminate the long two’s and early shot clock attempts, keep moving the ball, get to the paint and good things will come.
- Charlotte will look to even its record in Las Vegas against the Los Angeles Lakers in tomorrow’s game starting at 4 PM ET. The Lakers beat Golden State, 103-96, on Friday night, getting 22 points from second-year guard Max Christie and 19 points from Cole Swider. LA’s two drafted rookies – Jalen Hood-Schifino from Indiana and Maxwell Lewis out of Pepperdine – combined for 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting (0-of-4 from 3-point).
Day 4: Sacramento to Las Vegas (2:36 PM PT)
- Even though Charlotte’s offense got into a better rhythm early on than it did in Monday’s defeat, defensive struggles continued to be an issue in Wednesday’s 98-83 loss to Golden State. “We were getting beat on rip screens, back cuts and then we were just getting dribbled,” said Hornets Summer League Head Coach Marlon Garnett. “Layup after layup in the paint just from simple perimeter keeping-your-guy-in-front-of-you defense. We can’t be on the reactionary. We need to begin the physicality and the contact before the action even starts, so we’re ready for the play.”
- Compounding the defensive miscues was an ice-cold 3-of-20 clip from 3-point range (15%), with two of those makes coming in the fourth quarter when the game was well out of hand. Inefficient offense can’t carry over to the defense and that’s what seems to have transpired at times against the Warriors, especially in a lopsided third quarter.
- Rookie Amari Bailey posted an impressive 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and was a team-best +17 (in a 15-point loss) in only 17 minutes of action off the bench. The former UCLA Bruin used his craftiness and body to push through contact into the lane for more makeable shots and had a few great finishes around the basket.
- With ball movement such an emphasis against Golden State, perhaps Brandon Miller was a little too unselfish with his play after finishing with only six points on four total attempts. The Alabama product did dish a game-high seven assists and showcased his play-making abilities but needs to be more aggressive looking for his own shot, especially during stretches where the team’s offense goes dry.
- Miller also came within striking distance of achieving a rare Summer League foul-out, which kicks in at 10 violations instead of the normal six. He ended up getting whistled for eight and while the aggressive defense is good, the rookie needs to work on finding a balance between guarding effectively while also not fouling nearly as much.
- Through the two Sacramento contests, James Bouknight is averaging 9.0 points on 38.9% shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.5 turnovers. Like with Kai Jones, the Hornets would love to see the former lottery pick take over some of these games in what is very important Summer League for him. Backcourt minutes will be at a premium come training camp and Bouknight could really benefit from some good showings in Las Vegas.
- Kai Jones looked more comfortable in his second game and even had a flurry of key defensive stretches in the second quarter to keep the Hornets within striking distance. Amidst a still-too-high five fouls, the Bahamian big man had six ‘stocks’ (four steals + two blocks) and cleaned up a few missed shots underneath the basket for put-back dunks.
- The Hornets got their first in-game look at second-round rookie center James Nnaji, who finished with five points on 2-of-2 shooting, four rebounds and a block in 17 minutes. Still very raw and in the early stages of development, the 18-year-old Nigerian and Barcelona center appears to have a solid post game, runs the floor well, has a lot of physicality at his disposal and plays with attentiveness on the defensive end.
Day 2, Sacramento (9:52 AM)
- The Hornets certainly didn’t get off to the start they wanted to in Summer League play last night, falling behind by 28 at halftime in route to a 98-77 loss to San Antonio in their California Classic opener. Maybe some jitters, maybe some jetlag, maybe some still getting familiar with everybody after a condensed minicamp, but whatever the reason was for the sluggish performance, hopefully it’s out of the team’s system by now.
- Hornets Summer League Head Coach Marlon Garnett rightfully pinpointed ball movement as the clear culprit in the team’s early offensive struggles. Charlotte finished with just 12 assists on 26 made field goals and had 17 turnovers for 14 San Antonio points the other way. Look for lead ball-handlers like Nick Smith Jr., James Bouknight and even Bryce McGowens to make getting others involved a priority moving forward.
- A few more areas of note in this one included San Antonio tallying significant differentials in both rebounding (51-26) and second-chance points (14-5). Charlotte also went only 17-of-27 from the free-throw line (63%) and can’t afford to be giving away scoring opportunities and extra possessions while the offense looks to find its form.
- Lots of eyes were on second overall pick Brandon Miller in his first professional game, as he finished with a team-high 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting, five rebounds and three assists. The rookie did amass six turnovers and seven fouls (only one in the second half), which he jokingly referenced afterwards. “I think you get ten [fouls] in Summer League, so I’m going to try and use all ten. If you get ten, you might as well use all ten.”
- Solid showings off the bench for both undrafted rookie Nathan Mensah and journeyman Justin Robinson, both of whom had eight points on efficient shooting splits. Robinson suffered a season-ending right meniscus tear while playing for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL last October, so it’s good to see him begin Summer League with a productive showing following a lot of time on the sidelines.
- It was a tough outing for soon-to-be-third-year big man Kai Jones, who totaled only two points on 0-of-3 shooting, zero rebounds, two steals and five fouls in a little over 25 minutes of action. This roster doesn’t have a ton of size right now and the Hornets are going to be heavily relying on the more experienced Jones down low, especially when it comes to serving as a lob threat, crashing the glass and protecting the rim.
- Charlotte will close out California Classic play on Wednesday night against Golden State starting at 6 PM ET on ESPN 2. Like the Hornets, the Warriors are coming off a 100-94 loss to the hometown Sacramento Kings on Monday evening. Reigning NBA G League Most Improved Player Lester Quiñones had 26 points in the defeat, Brazilian forward Gui Santos put up 19 points and first-round rookie Brandon Podziemski out of nearby Santa Clara University added 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in his team debut.